Rick's Ruby
by LadyLanham526
Summary: Shane's dead, the others don't trust him anymore. Officer Friendly snaps, but can he correct the mistake before he chases away the best thing that's come into his life since the end of the world began? Rick/OFC, no slash, rated M for violence and future sex, language
1. Chapter 1

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC character, Ruby, however, and I adore her._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression. _

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I am a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little._

_Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

It had been more than a week since the farm had been overrun, sending the broken and beaten survivors out into the wild. They were lost, out of fuel and almost out of food, and the ammo was starting to look like an out instead of a defense. Rick Grimes had taken off into the woods, in the opposite direction of Daryl, looking for food... anything they could use. He was not missed, he knew. Since the admission about the real reason Shane was dead his crew had become wary, afraid of him. And Lori... well, she had shut down completely. They didn't speak or touch, and even the looks she gave him were tinged in disappointment and disgust.

The respite of the woods was a welcome one. He would take a walker any day over the people at the makeshift camp and they looks in their eyes. The truth was, the moment the light had gone out of Shane's eyes Rick had changed. No longer was he 'Officer Friendly'. He was pissed off and he was intent on regaining some semblance of control, intending to hold it with an iron fist once he'd gotten it. See, that was what it took in this world, to survive. He'd tried the gentleness and the voting on decisions, and people died. He was done with it.

He had his Python in his steely grasp as he picked around the broad tree trunks and over fallen branches on the ground. He tried to move as silently as he could so as not to either draw walker attention or scare away any potential game. The activity gave him time to think, but he had little patience with that right now. All his thoughts were poisonous, and when they invaded his brain yet again he paused and ran a frustrated hand over the long stubble on his face, taking a deep breath and blowing it out through his nose. He rested against a tree trunk and looked out over the still and silent trees. The sun was setting, but he didn't turn back. No one would care if he returned or not.

The land was starting to slope and he followed it down, not having the energy to walk up. The trees parted slowly, and he saw the reflection of the setting sun in water beyond them, sparkling like a million lights. Long ago had his mouth become painfully dry and he headed toward it gratefully, falling to his knees at the waters edge and scooping it up into his mouth and gulping it down eagerly. When he'd had enough he holstered his gun and began to wash his filthy arms and face free of dried blood and grime. He watched the water around his hands turn red and drift away, and he felt almost hypnotized by it.

A sudden splash nearby caused his head to snap up. To the right, cattycorner to his position behind a large boulder, and over a short dock that stretched into the water, he saw a young woman bent over, water up to her thighs and up to her elbows. Rick backed up a step and peered around the boulder at her, his gun back in his hand in a second.

She was bathing, and doing a much better job than his little attempt a moment ago. She had her back to him, and she was dressed in a pair of blue boy shorts and a gray bra, which she was removing at the moment. She held it in her hand and ducked below the water, swimming out a little further so the water went up to her graceful, tanned shoulders. He still hadn't seen her face because of her angle in the water, but from the look of her curvy and lithe body she was young, and he looked around quickly to see her companions, but he came up empty. She looked to be alone, and he frowned. Surely she wasn't, no way. She seemed too at ease, picking up a bottle floating nearby and pouring soap in her hand and lathering up her hair. He watched as she leaned her head back in the water and rinsed her hair free of bubbles, and she made a motion below the water and brought up the skimpy underwear she had been wearing in her hands and soaped them up too.

Six months ago, he would have turned away, ashamed at himself for watching a perfect stranger in such an intimate and private moment. But his anger and bitterness had erased such manners from him and he just felt wary and mistrusting. He moved from around the boulder and to the entrance to the dock silently. She rinsed the articles of clothing and her hair one last time, and turned toward him.

She froze and he felt his arm rise, aiming his gun at her. Her eyes went wide and her mouth opened in shock, her arms going over her chest to hide the nakedness he couldn't see anyway. He realized she couldn't be more than her early twenties, and she was intensely beautiful. Olive skin, dark eyes with lashes that were unnaturally long and thick. Her features were delicate but proud, and her mouth was full and rose colored. It didn't even occur to him to be alarmed that the look of surprise and alarm on her face gave him a satisfied feeling in the bottom of his stomach.

"What do you want?" She spoke quietly but her voice was clear and strong, the look on her face more angry at herself for getting caught in such a position.

"You to come on out of there." He said flatly and she narrowed her eyes. In the smallest of movements her eyes flicked over to the shorts and tee shirt hanging over a tree branch nearby, and he followed her gaze for a moment, seeing a black Glock revolver laying on the garments. When he stepped over and picked it up, sticking it in his waistband he saw her jaw set angrily.

"Why would I do that?" She countered, her dark eyes flashing.

"I got a gun aimed at your head and you got thirty seconds." He said, his head tilted a little to the side, his blue eyes never wavering from her face.

She let out an angry huff and struggled to get her meager coverings back on. Keeping her eyes on him as well she walked slowly out of the water, arching to her left a little to keep him at a distance. He wasn't obvious as he looked her over as she emerged, but she seemed to know it anyway. He didn't care, not anymore. She was gorgeous, her olive skin tanned further by the Georgia sun, her full chest and hips moving like a cat. The muscles in her flat stomach and long legs were well apparent, and he felt an unusual knot of desire unfold within him as she finally left the water. He took a step closer and she froze again, looking at the gun.

"Will you just tell me what you want, not that I don't already know."

He narrowed his eyes, angry at the insinuation he was some lousy backwoods rapist. "Get dressed." He said and she frowned, obviously a little taken aback. Still, she went quickly to the tree where her clothes were and pulled them over her, the water dripping off her skin making them stick to her like glue. She grabbed a pair of sneakers from the ground and knelt down to pull them on.

"You gonna keep aiming that at me? I'm obviously unarmed." She said, bitterness in her voice.

He didn't waver, keeping his Python on her. "Where's your group?"

"What group?"

"Don't BS me, you got somebody around here."

She finished putting her shoes on and stood back up, her long wet hair clinging to her face and neck in silky dark tendrils. "It must be nice to know everything."

He set his jaw and took a step forward, and she backed up, pressing against a tree. "Where are they?" He asked angrily, his gun going for her forehead.

"Jesus! I don't have anyone. What the hell do you want me to say?" She retorted in frustration.

He narrowed his eyes again and watched her face. She was telling the truth. Crossing the few steps left between them in a flash he grabbed her arm and she fought back, pushing against him with her long arms. "Get off me, you freak!"

Her wet skin proved hard to hold on to, and she spun around, slipping out of his grasp and taking off into the woods. Cursing, he grasped his gun tighter and took off after her. She was quick, darting through the trees and leaping over fallen logs like a doe, and he felt strangely alive. He wanted nothing more at that moment than to have control over something, and this girl would do nicely. He paused and ducked behind a tree, knowing the loss of his footsteps behind her would confuse her. He peeked around the tree he was pressed against and saw her behind a tree of her own several yards away. Years of being a cop had taught him how to ambush people, and he leaned down and picked up a good sized rock from the ground. He threw it far away to the left and when she vanished from the tree he knew she had moved around it, her attention in the wrong direction. He went right and crept slowly in a small arc around her.

A low stone wall broken by time and weather blocked her from seeing him, and he made his way to her tree on the opposite side. She must have realized he had fooled her because she took off again, but he was only two steps behind her and tackled her to the ground. She grunted when he landed on top of her and she fought back again, kicking and pushing with everything she had. She was strong, but he was stronger, and he easily flipped her over, straddled her legs, and aimed his gun against her forehead.

She stopped moving and he saw a single tear drip from the corner of her almond shaped eye. She looked him in the eyes, the look of anger gone, replaced with fear and acceptance. "What are you going to do?"

"I haven't decided, but I wouldn't recommend running again." He said darkly and she flicked her eyes at the barrel of the gun before coming back to his eyes.

"Fine."

He raised his eyebrows at her, and moved slowly off her legs. She stood, still watching him as he rose with her. "Where are you staying?"

"I'm just passing through."

"What did I tell you about the BS?" He said, and she swallowed.

"You're just going to kill me anyway. Or worse."

He stepped forward and grabbed her neck angrily. "There's a lot of things I done, but I'm no rapist, so shut your mouth."

"Ok, ok." She said fast, wincing at his tight grasp on her flesh, her wide eyes turned up at him through her long lashes. "But I don't have anything you want. Almost no food, just the one gun you took already."

He lessened his grip but kept his hand on her neck. He didn't feel less aggressive, but he knew if he kept this up she really wouldn't take him anywhere. "Look, what's your name?"

She pressed her lips together and he squeezed again. She let out a low cry. "Ruby! It's Ruby."

"Ok, Ruby. It's getting' dark, and we need to hole up. So take me to where you're staying. Ok?" He lessened his grip again, and she nodded. "Good girl."

She turned and walked away, throwing furtive glances over her shoulder now and then. He followed, his gun at his side but ready to be used, and she didn't try and run again.

"How are you all alone out here?" He spoke as they walked, the growing darkness making the trek a little more dangerous. He kept his ears open for walkers, but his eyes on her back, admiring the way her skin shone in the moonlight. Like honey, he thought absently. He would have headed back to camp, but Daryl was probably already there and truthfully, he'd been aching to get away. This was at least interesting. She feared him, but there was no disappointment in her eyes and that alone was enough for him.

Not answering, she turned to the right and he saw a stone structure in front of her. She walked around it and he brought the gun up again, waiting for someone else to pop out. They didn't though, and she opened the door on the other side and flicked a light on just inside. He looked past her and saw a steep staircase and she didn't look back at him as she went down it. He shut the door behind him and locked it from inside with the sliding lock he saw there. He followed her quickly, knowing she probably had another weapon below.

He got to the concrete floor just behind her and he raised his gun again at her as he took in the small room. It was all stone, and cool. And old ice house, he realized, and she had obviously been there a while. There were blankets along the far wall where she slept. A couple bags lay spilled out, clothes and toiletries in groups on the floor beside them. An extra pair of shoes, empty cans and trash in another corner, and a small set of shelves held canned goods and a few canning jars. He turned back to her, satisfied she wasn't holding out on him, and he lowered his gun again and saw her let out a breath. She was standing in the middle of the room, obviously lost as to what happens next, and he frowned at her.

"You're wet." He said, taking in her still damp and clinging clothes. "You should change."

"I'll be fine." She shook her head.

"It's cold down here, you'll get sick. I said change." He said harshly and she took a step back. He sighed and turned to the shelves, going through the cans and jars, hoping she would take the gesture as what it was meant. He wasn't watching. He heard her moving in the small piles next to her and he grabbed a can of beans and canned peaches, and when he finally turned around she was buttoning up a pair of jeans beneath the black tee she'd pulled on. He walked over to her and she watched him take a seat on the floor next to her pile of blankets. When she didn't follow his lead he made a gesture and she dropped down next to him. He opened the pull top cans and handed one to her. She took it and pulled a peach out, putting it in her mouth.

"Do you have a spoon? Or water?" He asked and she got up tentatively, going to the shelves and grabbing a pair of spoons from behind some jars. She also brought a couple bottles of water back and took her seat again, handing them to him. "Eat." He said when she again paused, and he felt irritated he kept having to tell her what to do.

"Don't you want to know my name?" He asked after a couple bites, his blue eyes going back to her deep, dark ones.

"Depends. You gonna hurt me?"

"I hadn't planned on it."

"Then what's your name?"

"Rick."

She nodded and ate another peach. "We've established what you're not gonna do. Can we move on to what you do plan to do?"

He shrugged. He felt more in control than he had in months, and she was incredibly easy on the eyes. He'd be happy just hanging here for a while. "How old are you?"

"19." She said, putting the can down. He saw she'd left some peaches for him and he offered her the beans, but she shook her head and he set about finishing them.

"You're awful young to be out here alone."

"You're alone."

"Don't avoid the question." He gave her a dangerous look and she bit her lip.

"I wasn't alone, not always. I was with a couple people but we got separated on the road when the herd blew through."

"A week ago?" He asked, his eyebrow raising.

"A week and half." She clarified, her hands in her lap.

"That explains why I was able to come up on you like that. You're gonna get killed out here."

"Without my gun, I will." She said flatly and he set his jaw.

"You'll come with me."

She scoffed and he snapped his head at her, but he saw the anger was back. "Just like that?"

"Just like that." He said, tossing the empty can toward the small pile in the corner.

"And if I say no? You're not exactly the fuzziest person, man."

"I don't remember giving you a choice." He said, looking over at the scattered clothes in the floor. He found a stray pair of leggings and grabbed them, turning them over in his hands and twisting them.

"So you're a kidnapper, then. Glad we've established that, at least." She said and recoiled when he reached for her. He huffed and reached out again grabbing her wrist and making her wince. "What the hell is this?" She blurted as he leaned forward and turned her around, tying her hands tightly together behind her back.

"You're gonna get the gun back as soon as you can. This way I might actually be able to sleep." He said turning her around and grabbing her knees, bringing her legs out toward him.

"You've got no right to do this." She hissed, fighting at the bonds on her wrists. When he reached for a tee shirt and went for her legs she kicked at him, trying to scramble away. She was feisty, and he liked that. It meant he got to be a little rough back, and he pushed her back onto the blankets, wrapping his hands in her long and wavy hair, pulling her head back.

"Stay. Still." He said, his face inches from hers and she pressed her lips together, a shuddering breath going through her body. Hovering over her like that he again felt the satisfaction at his dominance swirl through his chest, and he almost smiled. He let go and eased back, using the shirt to tie her ankles together. When he was done, she pulled her legs up toward herself and pushed up with her hands behind her back, sitting upright and looking at him resentfully.

"Don't look at me like that. You'd shoot me in my sleep in a split second, don't act like you wouldn't." He said, sitting back and feeling a little self satisfied.

"I'm not like that. But I guess you assume I would because you would." She said, glaring at him.

"You've never killed anybody, huh? I can't believe that."

"I have. But they either tried to kill or rape me. You've pissed me off but at least you haven't tried that."

"So you'd just... walk away?"

"No. I'd run." She said pointedly, and he turned the corner of his mouth up.

"Well, you won't be running anywhere for a while. I suggest you get some sleep. Gonna have an early one tomorrow."

"You're really taking me with you? Where?" She asked, her face contorted in confusion and frustration. It only served to make her more beautiful. Her cheeks were pink even in the dim light, her lips more rosy, and her eyes glittered and flashed like onyx. He felt himself staring, but he put it aside for a moment, enjoying the fact that he had a beautiful woman tied up in front of him, having to do anything he said. It wasn't normal, he hadn't been like this. This was something Shane would have enjoyed, gotten off on. He guessed he'd finally gone to the dark side.

"I have a group nearby. Got hit by the herd too, could use the backup." He said, snapping out of his thoughts.

She shook her head quickly. "Oh no. No way. You think I'm just gonna let you walk me into some... man camp? Screw that. You'll have to kill me."

He chuckled. She was so insistent, so firm. "Lay down. I need some sleep."

He downed the last of his water bottle and held hers up so she could drink too. She accepted it but kept her eyes on him. He capped it and looked around the floor. It was chilly in here, his tee shirt not quiet doing the trick, and the floor was cold and hard. No way was he going to be able to sleep on it without not being able to move for days afterward.

He got to his knees and felt around the blankets behind her, ignoring her recoiling from him. He grinned when he felt an air mattress beneath them, and he pulled the blankets back and got around behind her. It was big enough for both of them, and he started getting settled in.

"Wait." She said and he paused. She looked back at him and frowned. "You're not sleeping with me."

"Yes I am." He said and grabbed her shoulder, pulling her back and to the mattress.

"Dude, you smell. Like walkers." She pulled away from him and he looked down at his shirt. It was stained with blood and sweat, even if his arms and face had been washed off. "I got some clothes, they got mixed up with mine when I was with my group. In that bag over there."

He moved off the mattress and went to the bag she gestured with her chin to. He dug around and found a pair of army pants and a green teeshirt that would fit him and he looked at her interestedly.

"Were you with a soldier?" He asked, stripping his ruined shirt off. She lowered her head, keeping her eyes on the ground while he changed, his own shyness long gone.

"Yeah." She said quietly.

"Was he your boyfriend?"

"If he was I wouldn't be giving you his clothes." She said bitterly and he raised an eyebrow as he pulled the pants on.

"Ah. But you did have a boyfriend."

"I didn't realize we were sharing now." She said, looking up at him when he stepped forward again.

"What happened to him?" Rick said, crawling back in behind her.

"He's gone." She said simply, and he was too tired to press. The clothes smelled a hell of a lot better, and he grabbed her tied wrists, pulling her back. She went down silently, her head on the pillows but her legs still off the mattress. She was not going to make this easy. He put the guns behind him where she couldn't get at them and sat back up, grabbing her knee and yanking her legs up into the bed. He pulled the blankets up over them and settled in, getting comfortable. His chest was pressed to her back, and considered just throwing his arm over her. If she moved he would feel it, but with as tired as he was, he might roll over. She jumped when he sat back up.

"What now?" She asked wearily and looked up at him alarmed when he grabbed the leggings he had tied around her wrists and tied his own left wrist in, too. He grinned at her as he laid back down.

"If you get a mind to wriggle out of that, I'll know." He said and laid his head on the pillow behind her head. Her hair smelled like the ocean and he let it fall around his face in soft waves, enjoying the feeling. He hadn't smelled hair like that in ages. His arm was pinned in between them, tied to hers and his fingertips brushed her soft, tanned skin as he pulled the blankets up to their necks in the chilly air. He drifted off immediately there against her, not concerned if she slept too.


	2. NOT a man camp

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC character, Ruby, however, and I adore her._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression. _

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I am a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little._

_Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

He did wake when she moved, and he was immediately on point, his eyes wide open. He'd been dreaming, of sunlight skies and the bodies of the people he killed spread under it on a green field. He saw Shane's face just before he woke, but not the face he'd known for so long. It was a walker's face he'd pictured.

She wiped his sweaty face with his hand and looked down at Ruby, trying to snap out of it.

She was asleep, she'd just adjusted her position. Her face was halfway turned toward him, her hair fallen over her neck and shoulders. She looked peaceful and beautiful and he felt the surge of desire again, his eyes drifting down her body. They'd worked the blankets down a little and the v-neck tee she wore gave him a glimpse of the cleavage he'd seen yesterday. He flicked the corner of his mouth up and used his other hand to untie himself from her.

"What's happening?" She said and he looked up. She was looking back at him with surprised eyes at first, then a quiet anger returned. He looked at his watch and saw it was well past 8, they'd slept for a long time.

"It's morning." He said, sitting up and moving over her to the concrete floor beyond the bed, tucking the guns back away at his waist. He brought her up and untied the shirt from her legs, and she stretched and crossed them under her when she was free. He leaned around her and got the knots out of the leggings, noticing the fingerprint shaped bruises on her arm and the purple circles around her wrists as he did so. She brought them forward and rubbed them gently when he let her go. "Sorry about that."

It was the first time he even felt a little bad about what he was doing to her, but the purple color stood out so much against the warmth of her skin he couldn't help it. He set his jaw and watched her shake her arm out. It must have been asleep, it had been pinned underneath her all night. "Does it hurt?"

"Why do you care?" She asked and he narrowed his eyes. "Yes, it hurts."

He reached out and took her limp arm in his broad hands, massaging the muscles, trying to get the blood flow back. She watched him closely, a wary look on her face, and he looked up at her, a frown on his face. She wasn't terrified of him anymore, she was just resentful. And the satisfaction he'd had at dominating her had faded to a dull throb of what it was. He'd hurt her, and it was bothering him. Still, he wasn't leaving her to fend for herself. He'd take her back, that hadn't changed. What was one more person who hated him?

"Better?" He asked, letting her arm go. She pulled it back and rubbed it a little more, but nodded. "Good. Get your stuff."

She got up and started pulling her clothing back into her bags as he grabbed an empty one and loaded up the rest of the food and water from the shelves. He strapped it to his back and turned around, watching her brush her long hair out quickly and tie it up into a bun at the nape of her neck. She folded the blankets into rolls and tied them to the bottom of her own pack, and when she reached for the mattress he stopped her.

"Leave it. It's too big and we have to move fast."

She looked at the mattress longingly but stood up and followed him back out into the bright sunlight above.

"Stay behind me, keep your eyes open." He said. "I'm trusting you to not take off again. I'm the only thing protecting you out here, you got it?"

"Yeah. But..." She paused and he turned around, frowning. "I have to go to the bathroom."

He nodded and watched her step away from him around the building. "One minute!" He said harshly, taking the opportunity to relieve himself before she came back. He was zipping up when she moved back from around the building, and she stayed behind him as they walked. He figured they were about an hour away from where he left the group, and he walked quickly, glancing back occasionally to make sure she stayed close.

"Walker." She said quickly, twenty minutes or so into the trek. He looked to their right and saw a nurse shambling out toward them from behind a tree, the tag on her scrubs spelling out 'Amy' in block letters.

"Sorry Amy." He said dryly and aimed his gun, dropping her where she stood. Another one came out a moment later and he grabbed Ruby's elbow, holding her against his back as he fired on that one and another that drifted into sight to it's left.

"Run." He said, not wanting to waste his bullets on two more that were off to the right in the distance. He kept her elbow in his grasp as they took off in the opposite direction. Even with the pack on her back she ran lightly, and he found his still worn body out of breath after ten minutes of keeping up with her. "We're good." He said, and she slowed to a walk, her eyes furtively flicking around them but finding the forest had fallen still.

Rick pulled the pack off his back and got a water out, downing half of it with a single gulp. He handed it to her and she finished it quickly, wiping her rosy mouth with the back of her hand. She twisted around and felt in a pocket of her bag and brought out two granola bars, handing one to him before ripping the paper off the top of hers and taking a bite.

"Thanks." He said, taking a bite of his and they walked side by side while they chewed.

"Is this a man camp, really?" She asked, her eyes drifting over to him.

"No." He shook his head, his eyes on the ground ahead. "There's women, my wife and son are there." She was going to find out soon enough, no sense in hiding it. "For what its worth."

She looked at him with a surprised face, but when he ignored it she focused back on the ground. The way he'd acted he wasn't surprised when the mention of a family stunned her. "Got a doctor and his family, a couple men and women we've been with since the city." He finished, and she bit her lip, glancing back at him.

"Do you do this often? Find people and force them into your little group?" She asked, her tone not acidic as the words might have implied.

"It's been done." He said simply, remembering Randal. Hopefully she wouldn't turn out like the boy had. Rick felt a sense of belonging with her, like she was his. Like a puppy you found find on the street and bring home to play with. She wasn't part of the group that had watched him decline, she only knew this rough, hard man, so he couldn't disappoint her. It felt good, and he intended to hold on to it.

They walked in silence for a while before she spoke. "Are you going to tie me up again when we get there?"

"Do I need to?" He asked, his eyes ahead. It might not go over well, but he'd do it if he had to.

"No." She rubbed her sore wrists and he caught the movement out of the corner of his eye.

"Good. I want to see you at all times, no wanderin' away, and we won't have to worry about it."

"Will I get my gun back?"

"Don't push it, Ruby." He said warningly and she dropped her head. "We're getting' close." He said and she looked back up, searching for signs of life in the clearing woods ahead. They eventually found their way to the road and walked down it quickly, passing a few abandoned vehicles and bodies on the road. Around a bend ahead they saw a cluster of vehicles in a line, and a small grouping of people in a semicircle on the clearing next to them.

Rick spotted Daryl first, standing watch in front of the blue truck, his crossbow on his shoulder. The man walked to them, his eyes taking in Ruby close beside him. He looked over at her and she dropped her eyes, stopping when he did.

"Didn't know if you got to be walker food or what, man. Who's this?" Daryl said, eying the pretty girl.

"Found her in the woods, alone. Thought she should be with us." Rick said, looking past him at the group. They were looking at him but hadn't taken the move to come over, and Lori just huddled next to Carl, whispering softly to him. She didn't even look at him, and Rick felt his anger return violently.

"She got a name, seeing as she's another mouth to feed?" Daryl asked grumpily and Rick snapped his attention back to the filthy guy. He looked beat up, worn out, like the rest of them. When Ruby didn't answer, Daryl frowned. "She lost her tongue, man?"

Rick looked over at her. "Answer him."

"Ruby." She said quietly and Daryl looked at Rick like he'd never seen him.

He'd seen the marks on her arms and narrowed his eyes.

"We found some gas, some ammo in the cars up the road while you were doin' whatever the hell it was you were doin." Daryl said, his eyes going back to Rick. "We should clear out. Walkers been coming close."

"Let's go, then." Rick said, taking the pack off his back. He started toward the fire and Ruby stayed close behind him. He got to the circle of people and pulled out the smaller bag of food from his pack, handing it to Carol. Everyone looked up then, watching Ruby, who kept her eyes on the ground. Even Lori had turned her attention up, and he coughed lightly.

"Found her, and some food. We need to clear out though, let's go." He said shortly and they got up quietly, gathering their things.

"Who is she?" Carol asked, handling the bag, careful not to break the jars inside.

"Name's Ruby. She's coming with us." He said, watching as Lori and Carl got into the back of the red SUV they'd found with T-Dog, Hershel and Beth. Glen and Maggie went to the Matrix, and Rick let out a frustrated breath.

"Hello, Ruby." Carol said kindly and Rick looked over to see Ruby look up and nod. Carol frowned but nodded back, glancing at Rick and going to put the bag in the back of the Matrix. Rick led Ruby to the blue truck in the front of the line and she got in next to him, putting her bag on the floor between her feet, and he watched as Carol moved up the line to the bike Daryl was on in front of them. She got on the back and they took off.

"You got any more water?" He asked and she nodded, reaching into her bag and handing him a bottle. He took it and drank before offering it back to her and she took it, drinking quickly. She capped the bottle and laid it on the seat between them, bringing her legs up to her chin and wrapping her long arms around them tightly.

"Where are we going?" She asked after a while, turning her face toward him from looking out at the passing landscape. He didn't want to tell her, but he felt a kind of proud victory from the way she'd behaved with the others. Staying close to him, speaking when he told her to, and he smiled to himself.

"Not sure. The farm we were on is gone, we have to find someplace else." He said and she frowned.

"You don't know where we are?" She asked him curiously and he looked over into her beautiful face, frowning.

"What do you mean?"

"You're not going to the prison?" She asked and he furrowed his brow.

"What prison?"

"The maximum security facility about a day east of here. We were going before we got attacked, and then I stopped because I didn't think walking into a place like that alone was such a good idea." She said, looking ahead. "Anyway, you're headed right for it."

"Well, that explains the walkers." He said, his eyes back on the road and a concerned look on his face. He needed to stop someplace safe and think about this. They drove into a prison and more than likely it would be overrun by either walkers or survivors. Either one would be able to snatch Ruby and Carl away from him in a heartbeat, and he wasn't having that.

"How long you been in the area?" He asked after a little while and she looked back at him, taking her legs down and stretching them out in the floorboard.

"A month." She said. "Give or take."

"You know of any houses, anything off the road?"

"We passed most of what we saw, but I think there's a farmhouse not too far back. I don't know if it's safe."

"We'll make it safe. Show me." He ordered and she nodded. He beeped his horn and pulled over, and the others took his lead and did the same.

"There's a farmhouse." He called out as he got out of the car. He took the keys with him and ordered her to stay put before he emerged and he looked back to ensure she would, though he already knew she would. Daryl, T-Dog, and Glen got out and walked to him. "We can check it out, get a few days rest."

"She tell you that?" Daryl asked, his eyes going to her in the car, and Rick nodded.

"Yeah. She's been here a while."

"All on her own?" Daryl asked incredulously.

"Yes, Daryl. We're turning around." Rick answered irritatedly at the series of questions.

"We should keep going." T-Dog said and Glen nodded. "Walkers everywhere, man."

"Exactly. We need to get somewhere safe, get a defense." Rick said. "Follow me back." He started to walk back to the car and when he glanced back and didn't see them move, he looked at them wearily. "Come on."

"You the boss." He heard T-Dog mutter but he just slid in behind the wheel and started the car, doing a U turn in the middle of the road. They followed close behind him, and he looked over at her.

"Where is it?"

"Up here a bit." She said uncertainly. They drove for a few minutes in silence, and she pointed to a road overgrown with weeds to the left. "That's it. I remember the mailbox being broken."

He looked saw a rusty red mailbox in it's post, bent over and hanging loosely. He turned the truck up the road and he could see the white house through the trees. When he got to the clearing it was in he pulled the truck to a stop near it and peered up through the windshield. He got out and she followed, only needing a glance from him to know he wanted her at his side. As she stepped close he turned to the others as they got out of their cars and looked up at the two story structure with a large front porch across the front. It was simple, a medium size and should fit them nicely. The windows were still intact though the grass grown up around it in a field of cowtails and weeds. It has obviously been rundown even before all this started.

He turned back to Ruby and pointed back at Carol, Lori, and Maggie in a small group behind them. "Stay right here. I'll back in a minute." He leaned in toward her when he spoke, his hand on the butt of his gun on his hip. She nodded and he stepped away, looking back at he went up the front steps. Carol made a motion for her to come closer but Ruby pretended she didn't see it and got down, digging a water from her bag. Rick needed to get the search done, get back up here before the others could talk to her too much, get an idea of what he'd done.

"T-Dog, Glen, you take upstairs. I'll clear the first floor. Let's go." he called out and T-dog and Glen followed him in, guns drawn. Rick watched them ascend the stairs and quickly set about checking the first floor. He scanned the tattered living room. It had dull, dark hardwood floors and a large fireplace in the far wall. A worn couch and a three armchairs faced a television from the eighties and a couple ugly paintings of farm houses and horses adorned the wall. He moved through the doorway to a medium sized kitchen. Another table and a fridge with a door hanging open were there, cabinets and a sink on the wall. He saw two doors along another wall and opened the first one, finding nothing but a pantry with a few cans and a dead mouse on the worn linoleum floor.

The second door really surprised him. It was a bedroom, and he wondered about the unusual placement. It was tiny, only a bed and a dresser, and a little closet, but it was neat. Untouched. The bed was even made, a faded blue flower print blanket pulled up to a fluffy white pillow. Huh, he thought. Carol would love it.

Going back to the sink, he turned the glass knobs and saw that they still had running water. Must be a well on the property, he thought. It was cold, but it was great anyway.

He left that room and walked back through the living room and into the front foyer. It was small as well, but there was a door in the back and he opened it to reveal a half bathroom. A toilet and a claw foot sink barely fit into it. He left the door open to it and went to the dining room on the opposite side of the house. A good sized table with chairs and a hutch was there, and beyond it was a another bedroom, only slightly larger than the one by the kitchen. A dresser against a wall and a few articles of clothing scattered around the floor. A bed in the corner, and a small vanity across from it with an old, scratched mirror and a stool. He checked that closet too and went back around front, meeting Glen and T-Dog at the bottom of the stairs.

"How many bedrooms?" He asked, and T-Dog took the last step down. "Five. Small but we should fit."

"The cellar opening is outside, go check it while I bring them in." He said and the two of them went out the door. He walked back to the blue truck for his pack, Ruby right by his side. Lori watched with a stunned silence, and he looked at her with victorious eyes. She'd screwed around on him, lied and pushed him away for the last time.

"Go on in. Carol, I want to show you something." He said to the group and Ruby started to move past him with the others but he took a step forward, casually blocking her. "I'll show you where to go."

She nodded and followed him and Carol inside and back toward the kitchen.

"Oh my goodness." Carol breathed when he showed her the cozy bedroom.

"I thought you'd like that." He said, standing in the door with Ruby, watching Carol run her fingers over the blue and ivory patches of the quilt.

"I don't know if I know how to sleep in a bed anymore." Carol said with a grin, and he chuckled.

"Glad you like it." He said, and gave her a quick nod before leaving the doorway. He could hear footsteps upstairs as people picked rooms, and he took Ruby to the back bedroom. They put the packs on the floor, he put his hands on his hips.

"Get settled in." He said and left the room quickly, shutting the door behind him. Going back outside, he walked up to Daryl, and T-Dog joined them as Glen went to check on Maggie upstairs.

"Cellar is clean, canned food down there though. We should bring it up." T said and Rick nodded.

"We need to block the windows on the first floor. Somethin' comes through we can fire out the second story windows." Rick put his hands on his hips, looking from the men back up at the house. "I think we'll be good here for a while, got running water."

"We do?" T-Dog said, a smile spreading across his face.

"Yeah, must have a well on the property." Rick said.

"What if another geek fell in though, like on the farm? I better check it out 'fore we go usin' it." Daryl said, hoisting his crossbow.

"Do that." Rick nodded. "T-Dog, come help me board up the first floor." They gathered a few tools from the chest in the truck and went back in. They worked quickly, using anything they could find to board the windows. Closet doors ripped from the hinges, clapboard found in a crawlspace under the stairs, and the hutch pushed against the window in the dining room. When they got to the back bedroom he had left Ruby in, Rick pushed the door open and saw she had made the bed in the corner with the blankets she had brought, and she was on it with her legs crossed under her. She looked up when they entered, and Rick saw T-Dog give her a once over.

"You finding what you need, Ruby?" He asked kindly, and Ruby nodded but stayed quiet.

"We'll use the closet door." Rick said, breaking in. They went to the closet and pried it loose, taking it to the one window in the room. They hammered it in quickly, Ruby watching them from her spot on the bed. Rick looked over at her at one point and saw her expression. Resigned and kind of sad, her eyes were large and met his. She sighed and looked away, resting her elbows on her knees and putting her hands over her mouth.

They finished and Rick stepped back. "Thanks, T."

"No problem." He said, throwing another look at the girl as he left.

"We're gonna eat soon." Rick said, leaning against the wall and crossing his arms over his chest, watching her. She didn't look at him but she nodded, and he breathed out through his nose. "We have running water. You want to get cleaned up?"

"Sure." She said wearily, standing up and grabbing a small bag she'd put on the floor and a spare set of clothes. He led her through the house, past Glen and Maggie in the living room, and up the stairs. They doors were all open but one, bedrooms obvious to the hallway. The door that was still closed must be the bathroom, and he knocked on it.

"I'm in here." Beth called out and Rick frowned.

"How much longer?"

"Few minutes."

He turned to Ruby. "You can wait for her here." She nodded and leaned against the wall, and he turned and went into the bedroom at the far end of the hall where Carl's voice was drifting from.

Lori looked up at him as he entered, but quickly returned her gaze to the bed she was making in the corner. He looked over and saw Carl pawing through the closet in search of anything that could be used. "Hey Carl."

The boy looked at him with sad eyes. "Hi."

"Sorry I was gone all night."

"It's ok. Who's that girl you found?" He asked half-heartedly.

"She was alone in the woods. I thought she'd be safer with us."

"Carl, why don't you go down and see if Carol needs help. Don't go outside." Lori said, standing up and putting her hands on her hips. He nodded and left, and Rick closed the door behind him. "What the hell is going on, Rick?"

He frowned at her accusatory stance. "I said I was sorry I was gone all night. Daryl was there, wasn't he?"

"Thank god. Not that you cared anyway. It's just like when you took off for Atlanta and got Amy killed."

"You haven't said two words to me all week. I thought you woulda liked not having me around for a while." He poke loudly, angry at being blamed for the young woman's death.

"What the hell am I supposed to talk to you about? How about how you killed Shane? You drag us behind you not caring what we think, and you stay out all night when you know there's walkers everywhere and bring back strange women?"

"What are you pissed about Lori?" Rick was angry, and he pointed his finger at her, taking a step forward. "That Shane is gone or that I brought her back? Shane tried to kill me, Lori. He had a gun aimed at my forehead and he was coming back here to take you and Carl away. And you woulda gone with him, I know that. I know you wish it was me, not him."

She looked shocked, and she shook her head. "I don't know what happened to you, Rick. You scare Carl, you scare me, and you don't even care!"

"I am _trying_ to keep you alive." He said through gritted teeth. "I thought you'd like this. I'm acting like Shane did, aren't I?"

She put up her hand, her eyes wide, and she shook her head. "You are so messed up, Rick. You can't even see it. Stay away from me, and from Carl." she huffed, marching past him and he grabbed her arm, turning her around to face him. She looked down, stunned at the movement. He'd never touched her before. "Don't you ever put your hands on me."

"Don't you tell me what to do with my own son."

He narrowed his eyes angrily and she gave him a disgusted look, pulling his arm away and throwing the door open, stomping down the stairs. He stood there for a few minutes, his hand rubbing his tired eyes. So fucking self righteous, he thought. His fury threatened to boil over and he marched back downstairs and into the back bedroom he had put Ruby in. He punched the wall hard and sat down on the side of the bed, putting his head in his hands. He was so sick of all of this.


	3. Fame doesn't matter to walkers

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC character, Ruby, however, and I adore her._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression. _

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I am a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little._

_Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

He heard a movement at the door and looked up. Ruby was standing there, uncertainly, her hair damp and hanging around her face in tendrils. She had changed into a deep blue tank top and a pair of canvas shorts, her worn white tennis shoes on her feet and her bag hanging loosely in her hands.

"You ok?" She asked tentatively, and he wondered if she thought he'd get rough with her again. He wanted to. He wanted to grab her and throw her up against the wall and kiss her. His anger had turned into a twisted passion, he just wanted to take what he wanted from everyone around him right now.

He stood up and walked toward her and she leaned back against the door a little, her eyes trying not to look afraid. Getting close to her, he could smell her shampoo, see the redness of her skin where she had scrubbed it hard. He brought his eyes up to her and saw the hesitation in her face, and it began to quell the fury in his belly. She was like a drug, making the aching and disappointment fade away.

He dropped her hair and sighed. "Let's go see if Carol has food ready."

She looked relieved, and she moved past him and went to the bed, dropping the bag she held. She tied up her hair in a messy ponytail and she followed him out.

Somebody had made a fire in front of the house and Carol was leaning over it, stirring a pot. The others had taken places on the ground around it, and they must have found plates and silverware in the kitchen because they all had plates of food. Rick took Ruby to the fire and they sat down on the opposite side, her eyes avoiding the furtive glances the others were giving her. Carol handed her a plate and she took it, smiling a little at the older woman. Rick got one too, and Carol joined them with one of her own.

"So, Ruby. Where are you from?" Carol asked, and Ruby looked up quickly. She licked her lips, and hesitated, but finally looked back up at Carol, who was waiting expectantly.

"Um.. Chicago, originally. But I was in Branson when all this hit."

"Missouri?" Maggie asked, and Ruby nodded. "Were you going to school?"

"No. I was working."

Maggie looked interested. "What did you do?"

"I was a backup singer for Lady Antebellum. We were there for a concert." She answered and Beth and Maggie's eyes went round as plates.

"You're kidding me." Beth said, stunned.

"Nope." Ruby answered, her face still without too much expression. Rick saw her glance over at him as he ate quietly, obviously wondering if she was supposed to be sharing this. He didn't stop her, he wanted to know more about her too.

"I loved them." Maggie said wistfully, then looked back at her. "You're so young, how'd you get to be able to do that?"

Ruby shrugged, taking a bite. "I got lucky. I've been on the road most of my life."

"Who else did you sing with?" T-Dog asked.

"Katy Perry,Taylor Swift. And I worked a tour with Justin Timberlake two years ago."

"Wow. That is so cool." Beth giggled, putting her plate down.

"Hope you can protect yourself with more than just singin' at the walkers." Daryl said sarcastically. Rick knew he had no time for singers and such nonsense. Ruby looked back at him with a harsh look but stayed quiet.

"Well, I think that's very interesting. You'll have to sing for us." Carol said and Ruby threw her a glance and a small smile.

"I found a guitar in the closet in my room. Can you play?" Glen piped up and she nodded. Rick looked down at her surprised. Beautiful and talented. Glen grinned and got up to go get it.

"Don't, Glen. The noise will draw the walkers." Lori spoke up and Glen sank back down. Lori leveled her eyes at Ruby, and Rick felt the fury building again. "Looks like you're a little beat up. What happened?"

Ruby pressed her lips tightly together but returned Lori's gaze. "Not everybody out here is as nice as you guys."

Lori looked put off, like she'd wanted to hear Rick had done it. "And even after that you just followed a strange man home? That doesn't seem like it's the smartest thing in the world."

Ruby narrowed her eyes at the pointed statement. "As opposed to staying in a tiny concrete room by myself with little to no food or weapons?"

Lori looked pissed and told Carl to go into the house. She threw a hateful glance at Rick and followed her son, leaving the rest of the group in an awkward silence. Rick, however, was more than impressed.

"I'm goin' huntin'. See if those walkers from the road are makin' their way over." Daryl said, tired of the conversation, and he walked away.

"I'll go with him. Looks like we're good around here for a while." T-Dog said and followed. Carol and Maggie started to clean up.

"Can I help them?" Ruby asked, nodding toward Carol and Maggie.

"Yeah." Rick said, smiling at her. She didn't return it, but she didn't look angry either, and Maggie grinned widely when she approached, hers and Rick's plates in her hands. Rick leaned back and watched them chatter at Ruby, asking about her work with the various bands. Ruby was reserved but answered her questions patiently, and when they had gathered everything, she followed them into the house. She looked back at him one more time and he nodded, urging her to go on.

Rick got up and looked out at the trees surrounding the house, thinking about his latest fight with Lori and about Ruby. He knew he was being unnecessarily harsh with her for his own personal gain, but there was something about her that drew him in, made him feel centered and focused. She was simple, their interactions were simple. She would push him away and he would set her straight, that was it. He smiled to himself and went in, wanting to see her.

"What was it like, traveling all the time? Did you miss home at all?" Maggie was asking as he got to the living room. He could hear them clearly, the dishes in the sink clacking together and the sounds of cabinets opening and shutting. He took a spot on the couch and slouched down a little, his hands behind his head as he listened to them.

"It was fun. I didn't get homesick. Didn't really have a home to be sick about." Ruby said calmly. "I got to see a lot of really cool places, though. A lot more than most people my age."

"Like where? What was the best?" Maggie continued.

"Well, Sri Lanka was great. Hot, but the energy was amazing. And I liked Europe. I was on a tour with the Backstreet Boys then, and we spent a month there."

"My god, you are so lucky." Maggie said, and he heard Ruby laugh. It was the first time he'd heard that, and it was beautiful.

"Ruby, what did you mean you didn't have a home?" Carol asked and Rick heard Ruby pause.

"My mom died when I was 8, and my dad wasn't around so I got put with a couple in New York. The guy was a talent scout and he and his wife couldn't have kids."

Rick heard the scrape of chairs and assumed they must be taking a seat to talk. He would have gone in and gotten her then, but he was finding out things about her she never would tell him.

"Anyway, Dad liked my voice and started getting me jobs. Little things at first, like world choir games. And when I was ten I got my first gig with Disney doing voice overs for their straight to video movies. Kinda took off from there."

"What about school?" Carol asked.

"I took advanced classes on the road, graduated early when I was 16. Dad made sure I was taken care of on that, he thought education was important. He got me into online college so I could keep traveling and I got a bachelor's degree in media management."

"You gotta be smart, if you were able to do that." Maggie said.

"I guess. I liked school but I was glad when it was done and I could focus on work." Ruby said casually.

"What happened to your adoptive parents?" Carol asked.

"They divorced a long time ago and Emily went to California. Dad was in New York and I called him right before the phones went out. I don't know what happened after that. How long have you two been with Rick?"

"Carol and the others almost from the beginning. But my dad and sister not too long." Maggie said.

"Your dad? The older guy?"

"Yeah. And Beth is my sister."

"How exactly did you find Rick?" Carol asked and Rick sat up, slightly alarmed. The only thing that stopped him from going in there right then was what she had said as they'd been eating.

"In the woods. I had an old ice house I was holed up in. and came out to the lake to clean up." She answered and he bit the inside of his cheek hard, waiting for her to tell them how he'd attacked her, tied her up.

"And you were alone? How did that happen?" Carol pressed forward.

"When the news reports got bad and people really started losing it I was in a hotel. There was a bodyguard, Paul, came and got us and we got out of the city. He was a marine, and he was really good at keeping us safe. We didn't really start losing people until the survivors started attacking too."

"When did you lose him and the others?" Carol asked.

"The group changed a lot, but my friend Sarah, Paul and me stayed together. When the herd blew through here a week and half ago we got separated. I don't know what happened to them, but this was my first time being alone."

"It's a good thing he found him. He's saved us quite a few times, kept us covered. I think we'd all be dead if he hadn't been around." Carol said, but her voice was sad. Rick frowned, pleased at the kind words but knowing she was still wary of him since the outburst at the fire the night Shane died.

"He takes care of you?" Ruby asked.

"Best he can." Carol said. "It's been a rough road."

"Is he always so... intense?" Ruby asked and he almost laughed. She'd wanted to say 'abusive prick', he could feel it in her voice.

"The last few weeks have really gotten to him. He's a good man, he's just being pulled in a lot of directions right now. It's not been peaceful in a long time around here." Carol said gently, and Rick thought about how kind and understanding the woman was.

"Ruby, how did you defend yourself out there? I noticed you weren't carrying a weapon." Maggie said, changing subjects, and Rick tensed again.

"Paul and few others taught me to shoot, use a knife, but it wouldn't do a whole lot of good now. I was almost out of ammo and I'd lost my knife when we were attacked." Ruby answered. "But I found the ice house and stayed underground as much as I could. There're are a lot more walkers and survivors here, and I couldn't move on, I'd have been killed if I tried. Probably pretty quickly."

"I'm sorry you lost your people. We did too." Carol said sadly, and Rick decided this was enough for now. She'd kept her mouth shut and he was intensely pleased with her. He went to the kitchen door and poked his head in. Ruby was sitting with Carol and Maggie and looked at him, her face without expression.

"Ruby, I need you to come help me with something." He said and she nodded to the women and followed him out of the kitchen. He walked back out the front door and to the cars.

He looked down at her as he walked toward the cars they'd parked. "What do you think about the group?"

"It's not what I expected." She said, her eyes on the ground. "They're nice."

"No man camp. I told you." He said, popping the trunk on the Matrix and going through the meager belongings it contained. They'd been chased off the farm so quickly they hadn't had a chance to really bring anything. "Did you go through the closet and the dresser in your room?"

"Yeah." She said, taking a cinch bag he held out to her.

"Find anything useful?"

"Some clothes, shoes. The clothes are mostly men's, so maybe somebody else can use them." She answered, looking out over the yard.

He nodded, closing the truck and going to the red SUV and repeating his actions. He found some toiletries and a few clothes, and gathered them in his arms. "Why didn't you tell them what I did to you?" He couldn't help it, he had to ask.

"What good would it do? Besides, I figured you were listening, and I don't really want it to happen again."

"All that true, what you said about getting out of the city?" He asked, taking her back inside, dropping the clothes in a pile on the floor just inside before walking back to the bedroom he'd put her in.

"No point in lying about it." She answered simply and he chuckled.

"Well, you've had a pretty interesting life."

"Seems like you have, too." She said and he looked at her with a furrowed brow. "I heard you fighting with your wife."

He pushed the door almost closed before turning to her and crossing his arms over his chest. "Did you now?"

"You weren't exactly quiet."

"Are you glad I'm having issues here after causing you so much trouble?"

She walked away from him and sat down on the edge of the bed. "I don't have time for that."

He leaned back against the wall and ran a hand through his dark brown hair. "You aren't even a little curious?"

She shrugged. "I figure you're gonna tell me what you want me to know. It's what you've done so far."

"Why don't you seem as angry anymore?" He asked, honestly curious.

"Why does it sound like you're disappointed? Would you rather I'd be screaming, throwing shit?"

"Not particularly. Just curious, I guess."

"I guess I'm not as angry for the same reason you're not feeling the need to restrain me again. Maybe we're adjusting."

"Are you glad I brought you back?" He asked and she tilted her head.

She sighed. "I'm still pissed I didn't get a choice in the matter. But... I'm here now. You obviously don't want me dead because you would have done that already, and your people seem nice enough. At least here I've got a chance, provided _you _don't lose it. "

He chuckled, and it sounded strange to himself. "Let's go get some firewood before it gets dark."

She nodded, following him out of the room. "What are we gonna to do for lights in the bedrooms?"

"I saw some candles in the kitchen pantry, but I haven't been to the cellar yet. Maybe there's something down there we can use. And we can build a fire in the fireplace. The windows are boarded up, I don't think the light will be seen." He said. "I'll call Beth and Maggie and get them to go with us to get the firewood."

She met him at the front door after he'd called the girls, standing on the threshold and looking out over the large front yard. Maggie and Beth smiled at her and took a spot on either side as the four of them walked to the woods behind the house. Rick kept his hand resting on the butt of the gun on his hip as they reached the tree line and began to gather the driest sticks and branches they could find.

"Ruby, did you only sing pop, or did you do other kinds of music too?" Beth asked as they filled their arms.

"I've done country too. Sawyer Brown and Garth Brooks. Those concerts were always a little more fun, they don't take themselves too seriously."

"I love Garth. What was he like?" Maggie asked.

"Funny. He was always playing practical jokes."

"Who was the worst?" Beth asked as they moved down the treeline.

"I don't know. Katy Perry was nice but her manager was a dick. Always blaming somebody for something. Fired a lot of the people for shit he caused."

Ruby answered. Rick smiled as he listened to their chatter. They spoke low, but it was light banter, and took the girls' minds off the events of the last couple weeks. It was almost normal.

"I think we have enough." He said when he saw their arms were full, a large bundle under his own left arm. They walked back to the house and stacked the wood neatly in the corner of the living room for easy access. He thanked the girls and he and Ruby went back out to check out the cellar.

"Watch your step." He said, holding out a hand as they descended the stairs. She took it and stepped over the broken last step and getting to the dirt floor at the bottom. She saw the shelves T-Dog had mentioned before and picked up a canning jar full of corn.

"How long you think this stuff has been here?" She asked, looking up at it closely.

"Probably a while." He said absently, looking around the other shelves for anything they could use.

"Does it go bad?"

"Eventually. But we can try it out. Grab as much as you can and we'll take it to Carol. She'll know."

She started to gather the jars that looked the best, and when he let out a 'ah ha' she looked over. He pulled two oil lanterns out from behind a long wooden tool chest against the wall and held them up. He spotted a large can of oil next to them and grabbed that, too.

"This should do pretty well." He said and she walked over to him, her arms full of large jars. "These candle holders too." He grabbed them and they went back up the stairs. Carol was in the kitchen when they entered, and she smiled when she saw the jars Ruby carried.

She said, nodding with her head to a small pile of metal plates with spikes in the center.

"What's this?" She asked.

"I don't know if it's any good." Ruby answered as Carol helped her put it all down on the counter. She picked one up and inspected it closely.

"These can sit for years, I'm sure they'll fine. Corn, pickles, peaches... this will be wonderful."

"We'll get more." Rick said and the two of them went out again. They made three trips, and soon the counter was full of jars of various colors. Rick went to the pantry and brought out a dozen thick white emergency candles and he and Ruby started impaling them on the spikes of the candle holders and took them to the dining room, sitting them on the table so people could grab them as they needed them.

Next, they got the fireplace ready for Carol to cook dinner, but not lighting it quite yet. It was too hot outside still, it would become sweltering in the house if they did. Ruby left him for a moment and went to the kitchen, coming back with a couple boxes of matches.

"Found them in a drawer." She said, putting one box by the candles on the table and the other on the fireplace mantle. They walked out on the front porch and sat down on the stairs, looking out over the yard. They sat there quietly until Carol called everyone for dinner.

With the abundance of food they'd found in the cellar and Ruby's intriguing presence, dinner was a little more upbeat than it had been lately. Lori's foul mood was pretty much being ignored or avoided, her silence accepted as normal now by the small crowd. Rick had started the fire in the living room as soon as they'd finished hanging the clothes up. It was understood that making the evenings activities inside the house limited the possibility that they would draw walkers. Even Daryl had come in, and he seemed a little easier in his mannerisms since he and T-Dog had killed a small deer.

They gathered in the living room, taking places where they could. Lori sat with Carl across from them and he noticed every time she looked at the place where his and Ruby's knees would occasionally touch, her eyes were narrowed and angry. Eventually, he stopped noticing, and turned his attention back to the rest of the group. Back to Ruby.

The chatter was low but steady. Maggie and Glen talking quietly to each other, Carol and Lori saying something here and there or to Carl, Hershel and Rick saying quiet and watching the others. Finally, Glen looked up at Ruby with a grin.

"Ruby, will you sing now?" He asked and she glanced over at Rick. He didn't say anything, so she looked back at Glen.

"Yeah, sure."

"I'll get the guitar." He said, scrambling to his feet and darting away. They heard his footsteps coming back down a minute later and he brought a slightly worn Martin guitar back with him. Ruby moved a few inches away from Rick to make room for the instrument, and she crossed her legs underneath her.

"Any requests?" She asked, taking the guitar from Glen.

"Whatever you want." Glen shook his head.

"Alright..." She said, plucking the guitar strings, testing it. She took a deep breath and began.

_Oh, Death, оh Death, oh Death,  
Won't you spare me over til another year_

But what is this, that I cant see  
with ice cold hands taking hold of me

When God is gone and the Devil takes hold,  
who will have mercy on your soul

Oh, Death, оh Death, oh Death,  
No wealth, no ruin, no silver, no gold  
Nothing satisfies me but your soul

Oh, Death,  
Well I am Death, none can excel,  
I'll open the door to heaven or hell.

Oh, Death, оh Death,  
my name is Death and the end is here...  


She was absolutely amazing, Rick thought. He was totally floored. When she finished she was met by a wistful gazes form most of the people. The song was haunting, and so appropriate for the situation, she couldn't have chosen better. Carol looked at her appreciatively. "That was wonderful. You have a lovely voice, Ruby."

Ruby grinned and thanked her and Rick took a moment to watch her. She sang beautifully, her voice low by clear and strong. She made the words come to life, her face peaceful and beautiful, and her fingers danced deftly over the strings of the guitar.

"What else you got?" Daryl asked from his spot leaning against the wall and Rick looked up at him, more than a little floored. Daryl was interested, little to no trace of his general grumpiness.

Ruby nodded and looked down at the guitar. She ran her fingers over the strings and began another soft, swaying melody.

_In the deep dark hills of eastern Kentucky  
That's the place where I trace my bloodline  
And it's there I read on a hillside gravestone  
You will never leave Harlan alive_

Oh, my granddad's dad walked down  
Katahrins Mountain  
And he asked Tillie Helton to be his bride  
Said, won't you walk with me out of the mouth  
Of this holler  
Or we'll never leave Harlan alive

Where the sun comes up about ten in the morning  
And the sun goes down about three in the day  
And you fill your cup with whatever bitter brew you're drinking  
And you spend your life just thinkin' of how to get away

No one ever knew there was coal in them mountains  
'Til a man from the Northeast arrived  
Waving hundred dollar bills he said I'll pay ya for your minerals  
But he never left Harlan alive

Granny sold out cheap and they moved out west  
Of Pineville  
To a farm where big Richland River winds  
I bet they danced them a jig, laughed and sang a new song  
Who said we'd never leave Harlan alive

But the times got hard and tobacco wasn't selling  
And ole granddad knew what he'd do to survive  
He went and dug for Harlan coal  
And sent the money back to granny  
But he never left Harlan alive

Where the sun comes up about ten in the morning  
And the sun goes down about three in the day  
And you fill your cup with whatever bitter brew you're drinking  
And you spend your life just thinkin' of how to get away

Where the sun comes up about ten in the morning  
And the sun goes down about three in the day  
And you fill your cup with whatever bitter brew you're drinking  
And you spend your life digging coal from the bottom of your grave

In the deep dark hills of eastern Kentucky  
That's the place where I trace my bloodline  
And it's there I read on a hillside gravestone  
You will never leave Harlan alive 

She trailed off and looked up at Daryl, and he nodded, silent at first. "That's pretty good." He said simply, and focused on pulling out his knife and inspecting the blade. Rick was floored. That was as good a compliment as he'd ever heard from the man. Carol looked at him and raised her eyebrows, and Rick chuckled quietly.

"I think it was beautiful." Beth said and Maggie nodded with her.

Unexpectedly to everyone but Rick, Lori stood up and brushed her jeans off. "Carl, let's go get you cleaned up."

"Can't I listen to the singing?" He protested, but she shook her head.

"Up the stairs. Let's go." She ordered firmly and he hung his head a little as he followed her out of the room. The room became a little uncomfortable for a moment, until Maggie broke the silence again.

"Can you do something a little more mainstream?"

Ruby looked at her, tilting her head a little to the side. "What do you have in mind?"

The young woman thought a minute, then smiled. "Do you like Natasha Bedingfield?"

Ruby smiled and strummed the guitar again, singing "Pocketful of Sunshine". When she hit the chorus Maggie and Beth joined in and the room was filled with the warm sound of their harmonizing. They were good together. When they were finished, Ruby put the guitar off to the side.

"You should keep that." Glen said and she looked over at it.

"I'd love to. I had to leave mine." She answered, pulling her knees up to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. She exuded a confidence and calmness that Rick felt coming off her in waves, and he hated to ruin it but he looked back at a crack in the boards on the window, and he clapped his hands on his knees.

"It's getting' dark." He said, standing up. "We need to get locked up for the night, get some sleep."

"Hell yeah." T-Dog said wearily and followed his lead. "I'm gonna sleep for a week."

"Maggie, Ruby? Do you want to help me clean up?" Carol said, gathering the dishes. Ruby looked at Rick and bit her lip, and he knew she could tell he wanted her to come with him.

"I'm going to help lock up, if that's ok." She said and Carol smiled.

"Of course."

"I'll help." Glen said, grabbing dishes and following Maggie and Carol into the kitchen.

"I'll sweep the woods again." Daryl said and Ruby got up, going to the door with him.

"You need a hand, Rick?" T-Dog asked and Rick shook his head.

"Get some rest, T." He said and T nodded gratefully and walked past them to the SUV in the yard out front. Rick saw him get a cot out of the back and take it back in the house as he and Ruby walked around the left side of the house. Daryl dipped into the treeline and vanished in front of them.

"You're a great singer." He said as they walked around the house slowly. She looked at the ground and shoved her hands in the pockets of her shorts.

"It was nice to sing for someone who likes it. Walkers don't really appreciate the effort."

"You got to Daryl. I don't think I've ever heard him compliment anybody."

"Now I can die happy." She said softly, her sarcasm not lost on him.


	4. Opening up

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC character, Ruby, however, and I adore her._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression. _

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I am a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little._

_Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

The sun had been gone a little while but the sky still radiated with the fading pinks and purples of the sunset. The moon was full, a bright orange on the horizon. It looked huge, and close enough that you might be able to reach out and touch it. He caught her looking at it as they walked and watched her dark features take on a dreamy quality. He face looked ethereal in the growing moonlight, her eyes turning into black pools under her long lashes.

One of the oil lanterns was on the small table in the living room, glowing softly when they got back in the house. Rick saw T-Dog had set his cot up in a corner away and out of the way, and he was kneeling at the fireplace trying to get the the flames to go out. The room was a little too warm for comfort as it was. Daryl was giving him a hard time from his place on the couch, laying back lazily, his arm over his face.

"There's another cot in the truck, if somebody hasn't grabbed it yet. I'm gonna set up here." He said as walked into the dining room and she glanced back at him.

"Ok." She spoke like she was asking him why he was explaining himself. Of course he would take a spot right in front of the only entrance and exit she had. "Goodnight." She went on into the bedroom and shut the door.

He worked quickly, triple checking the only entrance they had, the front door. He put the cot up against the wall behind the table and threw a blanket over it. Having nothing to do now, he decided to make a round through the house. The living room fire was out for the most part and T-Dog had turned over on his cot. He was snoring softly and Daryl was sharpening his knife by the dim light of the oil lantern on the couch. He glanced up and grunted as Rick passed him, going to the kitchen. Carol's door was closed and he could see a sliver of flickering candlelight from under the door. He grabbed a bottle of water from the counter and made him way past Daryl again and up the stairs.

Maggie was stepping out of the bathroom and nodded to him as she slipped back into her and Glen's room. All the other doors were closed already and he went to the bathroom before going back downstairs. Daryl had moved to the front window and was watching the night pass by, and the whole house had gone perfectly quiet. Rick glanced at Ruby's door as he walked to his cot, but the door was shut tight and he decided to leave her alone. Once in his own bed, he was blessedly asleep before he could start to really think.

It was almost as if he blinked and morning had come. He only knew it was because he could see through the hallway and to the far living room window. Slits of grayish sunlight peeked through the boards and lay in stripes on the floor. Rick swung his legs over the cot edge and stood up, stretching and yawning. He ran his fingers through his short brown hair and walked slowly to the kitchen, trying not to make the floor creak unnecessarily. T-Dog was still spread out on his cot and even Daryl had managed to catch a few winks. He was sitting halfway up on the couch, his eyes closed and looking almost comical.

In the kitchen, he saw Carol's door was still closed but he thought he could hear movement. Glancing at his watch, he saw it was 7:45. People were usually up by now, but he knew how tired they were. This was the first time they had actually really relaxed enough to sleep since the farm was overrun.

Rick grabbed a bottle of water from the counter and picked up a canning jar, looking at it absently. A movement from the corner of his eye made him look up and he saw Ruby in the doorway. She had on tiny sleeping shorts and a black tank top, and she'd put her hair up in a messy ponytail on her head. Her long legs looked even longer than usual, and she had pretty little bare feet. She was drop dead gorgeous, even right after waking up and unprepared for the day.

She yawned as she walked in and he held out the bottle of water he was drinking from. Taking it and nodding her thanks, she put down half of it in one big gulp. She handed it back and wiped the back of her hand over her mouth. "Make sure you save your bottles. We can refill them." She said.

"I will. Sleep ok?" He asked quietly, not wanting to disturb T-Dog in the next room.

"Yeah. You?"

"I was more tired than I thought." He said, rubbing the back of his neck. "Cot didn't treat me real well, though. You'd think I'd be used to it by now."

They looked up when Lori walked in. She paused when she saw them, and Rick thought he saw a sly rolling of the eyes when she saw Ruby's attire.

"Good morning." He said flatly, and she looked over at him like he was stupid.

"Is it? I was up most of the night making sure Carl knew you was still here, so I'm a little tired. But it looks like you were busy. Probably didn't notice." She said, getting a water for herself. When she said the word 'busy', she ran her eyes up and down Ruby.

Ruby looked at Lori like she'd lost her mind and Rick interjected quickly. "I don't think she's completely offended yet, Lori."

"I'll make sure I try harder next time." Lori said nastily.

"You got something to say, lady?" Ruby said, her voice going slightly higher. Lori looked over at her and this time she did roll her eyes and didn't even try to hide it. She marched out of the kitchen leaving Ruby a little stunned at her gall. "Bitch." She mused at the empty doorway and Rick rubbed the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. It wasn't going to be easy making this a good place for Ruby to be if Lori acted this way, and Rick desperately wanted Ruby to want to be here.

"I'll talk to her." He said wearily.

"Don't." She said, and he looked up questioningly. "I really don't give a crap what she says, she just caught me by surprise."

"You sure?" He asked, frowning. "Because that was completely out of line."

She laughed and he looked, again, curious. "I'm sorry. Can we go outside now?" She said, her final chuckles trailing off with her words. "While it's still cool enough to really enjoy it."

"Yeah." He said and she reached back and grabbed another water and a couple granola bars off the counter before following him to the front porch. They looked up into the blue sky as they took spots on the worn steps, Rick sitting a step below her by her left knee.

"You know, I meant what I said about not caring what Lori says. But why do I feel there's a lot more to the story than a little general bitchiness?" She said and he looked over at her. She stretched her long, tan legs out in front of her and crossed her ankles. "You guys know everything about me. Why don't you give me a little background here. Even the playing field."

Rick grabbed a piece of dried grass from his pants leg and tossed it into the dirt below. "How deep you wanting to go? This is a pretty long story."

"Mid range version. I'm not going anywhere."

"Alright. We'll start slow. Daryl is a tracker, hunts for us and feeds us pretty damn well. He's a hard ass, but he's got good sense, and he means well. T-Dog is a little friendlier. They're both good men."

"Ok, who else you got?"

He chuckled. "Maggie and Beth are nice, help around however they can. Glen is never far away when Maggie's around."

"I noticed. I bet they could share a kidney." She quipped.

"It's entirely possible." He grinned. "Then there's Hershel. He's a lifesaver. Things would be very different if he weren't around."

"Well, sure. It's always nice to have an on call doctor."

"It's more than that. We found his farm because one of his people was out hunting and took a shot at a deer. Didn't see Carl there, and almost killed him."

"Your son got shot?" She asked, her voice clearly displaying her surprise. "My god, he's what? Ten?"

"Yeah. Just about killed me, too." He put his knees up higher and put his elbows on his knees, staring into the grass in front of them.

"I can't even imagine." She said softly. "What's Carol's story? She's really nice but she seems to be... I don't know, sadder than everybody else."

"You picked up on that, huh? Her daughter was killed not too long ago." Rick said and she nodded, understanding immediately the emptiness that shone in Carol's eyes. "Sophia turned and we had to put her down in front of Carol."

"How old was she?"

"8."

"Jesus." She breathed out.

Rick paused, looked at his hands, and when he spoke, it was quiet. "I think there's something you should know, if you haven't figured it out already."

"What's that?"

"It's about turning." He began and she frowned. "Whatever this virus is, it's changed somehow. You don't have to be bitten. If you die, you'll turn. A doctor at the CDC told me, but I didn't believe it. Not until I saw it for myself."

"You were at the CDC? When? Are they working on this?" She sat up straight and looked at him with wide eyes.

"No. By the time we got there it was only Dr. Jennings, and he'd been pretty much driven crazy by that point. Tried to kill us by blowing up the building, but we got out. It's all gone. But he told me about the virus, and when Shane turned I realized he'd been telling the truth."

She got quiet, looking away at the trees. "So, we're all going to turn?"

"I'm sorry. But you needed to know if you didn't already."

She picked at her knees, scratching the denim. "I guess it doesn't really change things, how we behave."

"No," He agreed. "Not really." She clearly wanted to change the subject, he could see it in her face. He spoke quickly. "I don't know about the prison, Ruby."

"Why not?"

He raised his eyebrows and gave a light shrug. "Atlanta was overrun, the CDC was a bust, who's to say this won't be another in a long list of _really_ bad ideas. I thought we should stay here for a while till I can get it figured out." He said.

She nodded and they sat in silence for a while. He was thinking about the way she'd taken the news he'd just told her. She was strong, she didn't overreact, and he really liked that. He felt like he could share his thoughts with her without feeling responsible for her falling apart like the others. She was so mature for someone so young. After all, she was still a little wary because of how she'd been brought here, but she was opening up.

"Do you have any more clothes in your bag that would fit me?" He asked after a while, and she nodded.

"I think there's another shirt, and there were a few pairs of pants hanging in the closet in my room. You want me to get them?" She asked.

"If you would. I want to get cleaned up. Somebody told me I smell like a walker." He said with a gleam in his eye and she chuckled softly, standing up and going back in the house. He waited, listening to the sounds of the birds in the trees. She was back in a few minutes, holding a few pairs of pants and another green military issue tee shirt.

"I think these should fit." She said, handing them to him and sitting down next to him on the top stair.

He held up the shirt. "These were Paul's, weren't they?" He asked gently. She nodded and he pressed his lips together tightly. "I really appreciate you giving them to me."

"It's fine."

"I'll be back in a few." He said, standing. "Come back inside while I'm showering. I don't want you out here alone."

"Ok. I have to wash some of my clothes anyway. Give me yours and I'll do them too." She said, standing and brushing herself off.

"You sure?" He asked, and she nodded.

"Might as well. It'll give me something to do, and I don't want to waste the detergent. Besides," She leaned in and whispered. "Lori sees and it'll really put a bug in her craw. After her little snippy ass remarks all I feel like doing is annoying the shit out of her. Is that going to be a problem?"

He chuckled silently, amused at her little conspirator stance. "You'll have no resistance here. Do your worst. There's a metal wash tub in the bottom of the kitchen pantry." He offered as they got up and walked back in.

"Awesome." She said and he headed up the stairs. He got to the bathroom and quickly stripped his clothes off. He turned the water on and was getting ready to step in when there was a knock on the door.

"I'm in here." He called out.

"It's me. Give me your clothes." Ruby said from the other side of the door. He grabbed the clothes he'd stripped off and stepped behind the door, cracking it a little and leaning around it. She stood there looking at him and he felt a twinge being naked so close to her, even if she couldn't see anything but part of his chest. He handed the small bundle to her and she pulled a faded ivory towel off her shoulder and handed it to him.

"Thanks." He said, taking it.

"No problem." She said, stepping off down the short hallway. He saw Lori in the room across the hell, sitting on the bed. She looked after Ruby, a furious look on her face. Rick was amused, and he grinned as he shut the door. He was so pleased by Lori's discomfort even the cold water felt good on his tired and stressed body.

He lathered up with a bar of soap someone had left on the tub, scrubbing the filth and sweat from his body and hair. The water around him eventually turned from the dark gray color to clear, and he rinsed one last time before shutting off the water. He grabbed the towel Ruby had given him and dried off quickly, getting dressed in the new clothes she'd brought to him. He brushed his hair with his fingers and threw the towel over his shoulder. He took it downstairs and went to Ruby's room, hanging the towel over the top of the door to dry, and went to the kitchen to check on her.

She and Carol were hunched over the wash bin, scrubbing articles of clothing on the ridged edges. They looked up as he entered, and Carol smiled.

Ruby squeezed the shirt she was holding out and tossing it over a chair they had pulled over by them.

"Find what you needed?" He asked and grabbed a glass from the cabinet and poured himself some water. He leaned against the counter and watched them work. Ruby's hair had come a little loose as she bent over the tub and stray pieces fell around her face. He found his eyes drawn the place on her thigh where the shorts stopped or her stomach where the tee she wore rode up as she moved.

He snapped to when she stood up and wiped her wet hands off on her shorts. "Found these clothesline pins in the closet, too. We can hang the clothes on the line in the backyard." She said, grabbing a small cotton bag on the counter.

Carol and Ruby loaded up the wet clothes in their arms and Rick grabbed the wash bin filled with dirty water, and the three of them headed out the front door. They waited while he dumped the water in the grass and sat the bin next to the porch, and he followed them to the long clothes line hanging between two trees close to the house.

"I went through the jars you brought up from the cellar." Carol said as Rick stepped forward and took the wet clothes from her arms. She hung the small bag of pins on the post and set about hanging the clean clothes up.

"Do they look ok?" Ruby asked, grabbing a few pins for herself and hanging a shirt.

"More than ok. They're wonderful. I thought we would have potatoes and corn, and green beans with the venison Daryl caught for dinner." Carol smiled wistfully.

"Sounds good." Rick said, watching as Ruby reached up and hung the pair of his pants on the line. Their eyes met and she gave him a small smile. He felt his knees go a little wobbly and he shifted on his feet.

"That should do it." Carol said, stepping back from the line after she hung the last pair of socks. "Thank you, Rick."

"Don't mention it." He nodded and the three of them began to walk slowly toward the house, enjoying the sunlight and quiet.

"What is that?" Carol asked, peering through the trees to a small concrete wall partially covered by foliage.

"I'm not sure." Rick said, taking a step toward it and narrowing is eyes to try and make it out. He looked at Carol. "We're going to check it out. Why don't you head on in and we'll be there soon."

"Should I get someone to go with you?" She asked, backing up in the direction of the front porch.

"No, don't worry about it. We'll be fine." He said and Ruby followed him to the treeline. He didn't bother to draw his weapon. The small building was close enough to the clearing that he didn't particularly feel threatened, but he stopped and waited for Ruby to get close to him anyway. He put his hand on her lower back and kept it there as they walked around the building, his other hand hovering on the butt of his gun. Her face registered slight confusion, like she was trying to figure out what he was thinking, but she didn't tense like he expected her to. His body, however, did not cooperate with him. When he touched her he felt a long slow burn start in the bottom of his stomach and spread lower, threatening to give him the beginnings of a powerful erection. She smelled amazing and her hair was so shiny and soft looking that he ached to run his hand through it.

There was a large wooden door on the front of the small concrete and wood shed, and Rick leaned down and took hold of a large fallen tree branch wedged up against it. He focused himself to stop thinking of her for a minute and get the branch away from the door. When he was finally able get it far enough away to open the door, he stepped in and tried to let his eyes adjust to the light.

He turned and took Ruby's hand again, helping her over the branch and down two stairs into the small shed.. It was piled high with broken tools and farm equipment, and they ended up pressed back to back as they looked around. "Can you use any of this?" She asked.

"The tools can always be used if they're not too broken." He said, peering past a set of shelves in an awkward place in the middle of the room. "Hey, look at that." He said, pointing to a small generator past the shelves in the corner. "I wonder if it works."

"Can you get to it?" She asked, grabbing his arm for support as she turned around in the tight space. He waited till she was situated before he put his long legs over the odds and ends scattered around the room and swung around the shelves and to the corner. The generator was maybe 35 pounds, so it wasn't bad but it was cumbersome. When he got it to the middle of the room he grabbed the pull cord and yanked. It sputtered and popped, but on the third try it roared to life.

"It's awfully loud." She said, grimacing, when he'd cut the engine and the machine quieted.

He bit his cheek and put his hands on his hips. "We'll keep it for emergencies, but I wish we could hook it up, use it for the fridge or something. Keep our food longer."

She tilted her head to the side, thinking. "Well, would the cellar work? We could try and muffle the sound."

He looked at her and ran his hand over his face. "That actually might work." He said softly and she chuckled.

"Try to not sound so surprised I have a decent idea next time."

He look startled when he looked at her, but his face broke out in a smile. "I didn't mean that." He said and picked up the generator, following her out of the shed and back through the trees to the house.

She opened the cellar doors for him and he went first with the machine. She was behind him when he put it in the middle of the dirt floor and started looking around for a place to rig it to the ceiling under the kitchen.

"We should turn it on, see how loud it is before you hook it up, right?" She asked, and he nodded.

"Yeah, we should." He pulled the starter cord again, and the machine revved to life. They walked back up the stairs and shut the cellar doors behind them. "It's still too loud."

She frowned and looked around the yard. "It's definitely going to draw attention. Let's shut it off."

"So, what do we do with it?" She asked when he turned it off back in the cellar.

"Keep it for emergencies. We can take it with us when we leave." He said, following her back into the yard above. Daryl was walking out of the treeline with his crossbow over his shoulder, and they turned and waited for him to get close. "What'd you find out there?"

"Walkers. A lot of 'em, but they're stayin' close to the road. We stay quiet out here we shouldn't have too much of a problem." He drawled, his eyes going to Ruby. "So no loud singin', girly."

She realized he was kidding and she turned the corner of her mouth upwards, her eyes going to the ground. Daryl looked from her back to Rick and sighed. "Anyway, we're gonna be stayin' here we need to avoid the guns. A couple shots go off and we're gonna be overrun again."

Rick nodded. "Ok, we'll talk to everybody at dinner tonight. You going back out there?"

"Yeah, for a while." Daryl. He looked down at Ruby again. "What kinda shot are you, girl?"

She looked him in the eye. "Not bad."

"Can you use a blade?" He shifted and narrowed his eyes at her.

"I can, but I try to avoid close contact." She answered, and glanced at Rick. He frowned.

"She's not going out there, Daryl." Rick said, feeling like that was what was coming next.

"I'm not takin' 'er anywhere." Daryl said, a little defensively. "Just wanna know what our options are, man." He turned and walked away back through the tree line and toward the road. Ruby looked up at Rick a little concerned.

"What was that?"

Rick looked after the man. "Nothing. Don't worry about it." He walked around to the front of the house and up the stairs. Ruby grabbed the empty bottle they had left on the porch earlier and took it to the kitchen.

"Hi Carol." She said as she went to the sink and refilled the bottle.

"Hi. Was that you two downstairs in the cellar? There was the strangest commotion." Carol said from her place at the kitchen table.

"We found a generator, wanted to see if we could use it." Rick said from the door where he was leaning, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Will we be able to?" Carol asked.

He shook his head. "It's awfully loud and there's too many walkers. I doubt it, but we'll see. Where is everybody?"

"I think Lori and Carl are laying down, Maggie and Glen are still in their room, I saw her a few minutes ago. I'm not sure where the others are." Carol said, thinking. "But I'll have breakfast ready here in a few minutes so I hope they make it back here."

"Do you need any help?" Ruby asked, and Carol shook her head.

"No, I'm just doing fruit, so it doesn't have to be heated."

Ruby nodded and looked back at Rick, following him out of the kitchen. He went to the fireplace and got it ready to be lit again when they would need it. She brought a few branches and logs to him from the pile in the corner, and when he was done they sat back, wiping their hands on the seats of their pants.

"What's on the agenda now?" She asked, looking at him curiously.

He frowned, and looked around the room. "I don't really know. Looks like we're pretty good at the moment."

"Are you going to see your son, then?" She asked, and he cocked his head.

"Why would you ask that?"

She shrugged. "I don't know, just seems like you might. Since I've been around you haven't really had a chance. Lori doesn't let him two feet from her."

He looked down at his hands, twisting a stick absently. "Yeah, makes things a little hard."

"And wrong. He was looking at you last night, watching you. I think he wanted to come over but she stopped him." She frowned. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't be talking about this. It's none of my business."

"No, it's fine. I doubt he wants to see me, though."

"I don't think you're right. Whatever happened, you're still his dad. I'm going to get changed, why don't you go get him?" She stood and brushed her hands off again, and he nodded, watching her walk away through the dining room. He walked up the stairs slowly, and found Carl in the bedroom he was sharing with Lori.

The boy looked up at him from the floor, where he was going through a bag of clothes. "Hey dad." He said almost cheerfully.

Rick leaned against the door and stuck his hands in his pockets. "Hey. Where's your mom?"

Carl peered around him. "Getting a shower."

"You wanna get some breakfast?"

Carl smiled and nodded, and Rick put a large hand on his son's head as they walked back downstairs. Carol was putting a large bowl of fruit salad on the table and they took places at the table, putting some out in smaller bowls for themselves. Ruby joined them a few minutes later. She had changed into tight faded blue jeans but left her black tank top on. The heat of the day had already begun, it was practical but Rick almost couldn't stop staring.

"Hey kid." She said with a smile when she sat down across from them and got some fruit for herself.

"I like your singing last night." Carl said, chewing. "I didn't know those songs, though."

"Thanks." She grinned, popping a piece of peach in her mouth. "What kind of music do you like?"

She shook his head. "I don't know."

She chuckled. "That's ok. You'll figure it out." She looked over at Rick, who was watching her closely. She seemed at ease around the boy, and he enjoyed the interaction.

"Carl?" Lori's voice came hard and fast as she skipped down the stairs and when she appeared at the door to the kitchen she put a hand over her heart. "My god, you scared me to death. Why did you leave the bedroom?"

"I brought him down to breakfast, Lori." Rick said, eying her.

She glared at him. "I'll take care of that, Rick. You have other things to worry about."

"Carl is the most important thing I have to worry about." He countered, sitting up a little. "And I wanted to have breakfast with my son."

"Carl, take your bowl back to our room. Now." Lori ordered and Carl shot a look at Rick before quietly picking his bowl up and leaving the room. Carol, too, seemed to find something to do in her room and she shut her door behind her, leaving Lori standing over the table Rick and Ruby sat at. She turned her eyes to Ruby and raised her eyebrows. "Can you leave us alone?" Ruby pressed her lips together and rose.

"No." Rick said firmly and both women looked at him, startled. Ruby lowered herself back down to her chair. "Anything you have to say, just say it."

"What the hell happened out there, Rick? You disappear all night and come back with _her_," Lori gave her a vile look before turning back to Rick. "She's got bruises and she never leaves your side. This is a whole new kind of weird here."

Rick saw Ruby's eyes narrow, but she didn't say anything right then. Lori paused, looking at the two of them. "Well?" She continued. "What do you have to say?"

"What do you want me to say, Lori? Because I've been talking for over a week and you haven't been listening."

"You are unbelievable. But you better start explaining yourself to the people around here because everybody thinks you're going off the deep end."

"Like Shane?" He asked quietly and she glared at him, stomping away. They heard her go up the stairs and shut the door hard, and he let out a breath and looked at the table wearily.

"Ok, now I think it's time you told me a little about her." Ruby said softly and he nodded.

They went back to her bedroom, and he felt a wave of fatigue wash over him as he went to sit down next to her. "When the outbreak came I wasn't with my family. My partner, Shane, got Lori and Carl out of the city, told her I was dead, and they started sleeping together. When I finally found them, joined the group they'd formed, he started coming apart at the seems. Unglued. He started making rash decisions, doing things that would get us all killed. He wanted my family, and he wanted to be the word everybody followed."

She raised an eyebrow and he could tell she was surprised he was opening up. "Keep going."

"She's pregnant, and either one of us could be the father. She loved him, she just couldn't admit it. She hates me for what I did, for how I'm leading the group now, and the rest of them are just afraid of me."

"Carol didn't seem afraid. She said you were a good man."

"I think I was." He said, standing and going to the single, blocked window and peering out through a crack in the wood.

"Why'd you take me, then? The way you did. If I met the guy I'm talking to now, I might've come on my own. So where did that come from?"

"I don't know. I was angry, I still am." He said, his voice low and steady. "Took it out on you and I shouldn't have done it. It's something Shane might have done."

"But not something you would have done."

"I'm doing a lot of things I wouldn't have imagined before." He looked over at her. She bit her lip and looked at the floor.

"The rest of your group is watching you pretty closely and I don't think they'd be doing that if this wasn't out of character or something. Besides, the way Carol talked about you was like you were some hero."

"You don't know that." He asked.

"Can I ask you a question?" She leaned forward and put her elbows on her knees.

"I think we're past asking." He said with a little smile, and she turned the corner of her mouth up for a second.

"When you were bringing me back to the group I asked you if you did this a lot."

He nodded. "I remember."

"You said 'not exactly like this'. What does that mean?"

"That's a very long story." He said, frowning and she raised an eyebrow at him.

"I've got time."

He let out a deep breath and went to the wall by the door. He slid down it and pulled his knees up, looking at her. "We were on Hershel's farm for a little while when we realized he'd been keeping walkers in the barn on the property, locked up. His wife and stepson and some friends and neighbors that had turned. He didn't look at them like they were monsters, still thought they were in there somewhere." Her face was already surprised but she stayed quiet, letting him talk.

"Anyway, Shane was already pretty far gone. He was angry at the world and he broke the barn open. We had to put Hershel's people down right in front of him and it tore him apart. Took off and ended up in a bar in town, and we went after him. We got attacked by a group of men that wanted the farm for themselves. We shot our way out but one of that group was injured. A young guy- Randall."

"What happened to him?" She asked, engrossed in his story.

"Impaled on a wrought iron fence. Went through his leg and pinned him there. He was walker bait, so we got him off, tied him up and brought him back to the farm. Shane was furious, thought I'd condemned everybody to die by showing him the farm. Turns out the kid knew Maggie from school anyway, and while we were trying to figure out what to do with him, Shane took him out in the woods and killed him."

"Wow." She said softly. "And this guy was your best friend?"

Rick frowned into his hands, nodding, his eyes on nothing in particular as he told his story. "He wasn't always like that. He was a good man, cared about people. Anyway, he busted his face up and got back to camp, told us Randall had attacked him and taken his gun. We split up to find him and that's when Shane came at me in the field. Told me he was taking Lori and Carl away. Had a gun aimed right between my eyes. He didn't realize I had my knife, and I had to do it."

She sat back and he could see the glimmer of understanding in her eyes. Her face was still and golden, he could see it even from halfway across the room. She looked like an angel. A sad angel.

"Rick, it sounds like you did what you had to do." She said softly.

"And you might be the only person here who thinks that." He answered, his eyes going back to the blank wall to his right. He felt her move and she came and sat down on the floor in front of him. He looked back at her concerned face.

"I know I don't really have the right to judge here, being so new to the situation. But it strikes me that your hand was forced over and over and you were betrayed by someone you trusted at a time when you needed him more than ever. Lori knows what he did? Everything he did in that field?"

He laughed bitterly. "Hell, she warned me he thought she and Carl were his. Told me he thought the baby was his, and that he wasn't going to let go."

Her face was suddenly very angry, a deep pink rising into her cheeks. "She _knew_ he was going to do something crazy. What a bitch." He looked surprised and she frowned. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't say that about your wife to your face."

He shook his head. "No, that's not... I just mean I'm not used to someone telling me I was right."

"You were. What were you gonna do, Rick? Stand there quietly while he killed you? Do you feel like she pitted you and Shane against each other?"

"I think it was mostly Shane, but maybe. Sometimes, whether she meant to or not." He looked up at her from under his brow. "When he died, they all assumed he'd been bitten, because he turned. When I told her the truth, that I'd had to do it because he'd come after me, that's when things really fell apart. What you see now is how's it's been since that night."

"And you're still here, trying to keep them all safe." She said, searching his face with her eyes.

"It's still my family. And I can't say that I'm the same person I was either." He reached for her hand and pulled it toward him, looking at the blueish purple circles around her wrist, his face dark and brooding. She squeezed her fingers around his tightly.

"Look at me. If I'd gone through that I think I would have snapped, too. And honestly, your version of 'evil Rick' really wasn't that bad. I've seen evil out here, so have you. You had plenty of opportunities to really hurt me, but you didn't do it. Carol was right about you being a good guy."

"You've got to be the most understanding person I've ever met." He said incredulously, and she raised her eyebrow in amusement.

"I doubt that. Right now I want to bitch slap your woman." She said and he grinned, lowering his head. "Look, Rick, what I said about helping you get back at her was a distraction from the complete shit storm the world is in right now. But the fact of the matter is, if you were over Lori and the crap she's done, you wouldn't care if she was pissed or not. That being said, I can only assume at least part of you wants to work this out. Shane's gone, you guys might have a shot."

"Why do you think I want to work it out?" He asked, furrowing his brow. "She loved him, even if she did push him away when I came back. She wishes it were me instead, she all but said it outright."

"Fine. No make up. But what are you wanting to get out of all this?"

He shrugged. "I don't know. That she would get how I'm feeling, maybe."

"So, make her feel it."

"What?" He asked, furrowing his brow.

"As long as it doesn't take your attention away from the fact that there are things outside the door that are trying to kill and eat us, I say give her a taste of her own medicine. I'll help you."

"Help how?" He asked.

"She clearly hates me. I figure she was pissed because you weren't following her around like a puppy. We can work with that." She raised an eyebrow mischieviously at him and he chuckled.

"I don't think I've ever met anybody like you, Ruby." He said, amused at her youthful reasoning.

"Oh yeah, I'm one in a million."

"And I'm an asshole."

"You said it, not me." She grinned and he returned it. He felt such adoration for her at that moment he reached around behind him and got her gun out.

"What do you say we go find you some ammo for this, huh?" He said and she grinned widely, flashing perfect white teeth.


	5. We've got company

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC character, Ruby, however, and I adore her._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression. _

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I am a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little._

_Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

They went to the living room and dug through a couple bags together until he came up with a new clip for her 9mm. He gave it back to her and she tucked it away in the waistband of her blue jeans. Lori came from upstairs while they were at the dining room table cleaning the weapons and Ruby casually scooted a little closer to Rick, reaching across him for a wire brush. From the corner of his eye he saw Lori shoot them both a repulsed look, and he stifled a grin. It felt good, knowing he had somebody in his corner, and he took the time to watch Ruby as she worked. She had a calm focus on her lovely features, and he noticed she would bite her lip when she was going over the small parts of her gun. It was adorable.

"I bet those clothes are dry now." She said when they'd finished and the two of them went outside and started off around the house. She put her hand up to shade her eyes in the bright sunlight. "I usually hate winter but I'm actually looking forward to it this year."

"I hear that." He said, rubbing sweat from the back of his neck. They got to the clothesline and she started pulling clothes down and stuffing them under her arm. He reached for a pair of her underwear and she snatched it out of his hand and glared at him. He laughed and gathered the pants and shirts closest to him.

Rick and Ruby were heading for the back bedroom with their arms full when Beth bounded down the stairs. "Hey Rick. It was so uncomfortable in Dad's room yesterday and I don't want to sleep with Maggie and Glen." She made a disgusted face. "Lori said I could bunk, but I didn't want to surprise you."

He looked up at her from the bottom of the steps as she came close. "Go ahead. I'm not sleepin' there."

"Oh." She looked at him, slightly surprised. "Ok. Thanks." She bounded off and they continued on to the back bedroom, Ruby grabbing the last candle left on the dining room table.

"Why did she seemed surprised?" Ruby asked as he pulled the door almost closed behind them. She dumped the clothes in her arms on the bed and he added the ones he was carrying.

"We've been keeping up appearances." He said, not knowing any other answer.

She shook her head. "With what I've seen of her so far I think you may be a saint." She spoke softly as she folded the clothes neatly.

"That's funny." He looked up at her slyly from under his brow. "You didn't look delusional." He said jokingly and grabbed the pair of pants she'd given him in the ice house and folded them slowly.

She grinned at him. "All I'm saying is that you must be very patient. Anyway, what was Lori's point? Does she think we're sleeping together or something? Because that seems to be her focus."

"There's no guessing what's running through her head right now. " He said wearily, stepping back and crossing his arms over his chest. "I'll fix it."

She looked up at him and tilted her head to the side, running her eyes over him. She shook her head and finished folding the clothes on her bed. "Nah. It's fine."

"What?" He chuckled.

She looked back up at him. "Believe me, it wouldn't be the worst thing people have thought about me. Besides, you're actually kinda cute. Now, if it was Daryl or something, _then_ I'd have a problem." He laughed and she grinned. "Plus, bonus, it'll annoy the hell out of Lori, so... win win."

"You're somethin' else." He mused.

"I'm gonna take these to Carol." She said, grabbing a few folded articles of clothing. He watched her walk out the door and he went and sat down on her bed, moving the rumpled covers back and thinking about their conversation. She was special, and obviously she didn't hold his actions against her because all she wanted to do was help him now. He wondered how he could have almost screwed up the best thing that had come into his life in ages so badly.

She came back in and didn't seem surprised to see him still there. She pushed the door to and saw him rubbing the back of his neck again. "That cot really did a number on you, didn't it?"

"Yeah." He sighed, twisting his head around on his neck.

She walked toward him and around to the back of the bed. He felt her get up on it and come up behind him. She put her hands on his shoulders and started to rub them firmly. "When we were on tour we'd pull 12 hours on stage sometimes and then go sleep on a tiny ass tour bus. You ever been in one of the beds on those things?"

He shook his head, unable to speak with her touch. His breath was short in his throat.

"You want to talk cramped. My god. Anyway, we have a touch therapist with us, this amazing lady named Rose. She was old, but she had the strongest hands. We'd get a rub down everyday before shows. She taught me a few things." She spoke softly, her hands working magic on his tense and sore muscles. He closed his eyes as she moved downward to his shoulder blades, then up and down his spine. "It's all about pressure points, you know."

He had a major pressure point growing in his lap, he realized, and his eyes flew open and he sat forward a little. She felt the change and pulled her hands away. "Is that better?"

"Yeah, thanks." He said quickly. She was amazing, she felt like she had ten hands and they had been all over him. He found himself thinking that if she put half that effort into sex he'd last all of five minutes. "I need to go check on T-Dog and Daryl. Make sure the walkers are staying away. I'll see you in a bit."

He didn't turn all the way around to see her face as he left, he was too concerned she would see how much he had been affected by her touch. Once outside, he calmed himself quickly and went to find T-Dog, spending the rest of the day patrolling the woods with him and Daryl.

He came back tired and sweaty just before dark, but he wanted to see Ruby after running away from her like that earlier. Her door was ajar and he poked his head in. She had filled the glass washbowl from the top of the dresser with water and was splashing it on her face. When he stepped in she grabbed a towel and dabbed at her face.

"Hey." She said cheerfully. "You're back."

"Checking the woods." He came to lean against the wall, his hands jammed into his pockets.

"You find anything?" She asked, going to her bed and brushing out her hair.

"More walkers, but Daryl used his crossbow so we didn't draw the others." He said, watching her. "What did you do?"

"Got the rest of the canned food out of the cellar with Maggie, talked to carol for a while. And, uh, made lunch with her and Lori." She said, biting her lip and he raised his eyebrows.

"Really? How was that?"

"Quiet." She said and made a face at him. "A few dirty looks and a couple remarks, but otherwise she pretty much left me alone."

"I'm sorry about all that."

"Don't worry about it. Not the first time I've been the odd man out. I'm a big girl, I can handle Lori." She grinned and twisted her hair back in that messy bun she favored.

"Believe me, you're no man." He said, not believing it came out of his mouth but she just gave him an amused look. He recovered quickly. "You're 19. How'd you get to be smarter than most people twice your age?" He asked with a smile and she shrugged.

"I had to grow up fast. For every amazing place I've been there was a trash motel in a bad part of town. And for every stunning dress I got to wear there was a pair of shoes with holes in the bottom. Makes you put things in perspective, you know? Find out what you can and can't deal with."

Her face took on a thoughtful quality and she quickly changed the subject. "You guys didn't get a chance to really get your stuff from the farm, did you? I noticed none of you have very much."

He shook his head. "The herd surprised us, we had to leave most of it."

She looked through one of the big packs on her bed. "Do you need anything? I have a few extras here. How about a toothbrush or a razor?" She held up the items and he raised his eyebrows, reaching for them.

"Hey, thanks." He was grateful. His beard was actually a beard now, instead of the 5'o clock shadow he wore when he'd been up too long.

"You can shave there if you want." She said, pointing to the washbowl she had been using on the vanity. "I only washed my face but you can change the water if you want." She bent over a little and lit a candle on her nightstand.

"It'll be fine." He said and went to stand in front of the mirror. He splashed a little water on his face and wet the razor, and suddenly realized he didn't have any shaving cream or anything. He turned and found her standing behind him, bottle in hand.

"Use this. It's better than anything you've ever tried. But you will smell like a flower, so fair warning." She joked and he took the bottle from her hand.

"Anything's better than how I am at the moment." He said, turning toward the mirror and putting some of the gel into his hands. He lathered up and watched her from the mirror, behind him on the bed. She leaned back against the headboard and grabbed a pillow, putting it on her lap and hugging it tightly. She looked thoughtful and a little sad.

"What's wrong?" He asked, dragging the blade across his cheek.

She shook her head. "I was thinking about Sarah and Paul. Do you think they're still alive?"

"I wish I could tell you. But the way you talk about Paul I would imagine they are. He kept you safe for a long time, didn't he?"

"I mean, we lost people, but yeah, he did."

"Then I'm sure he's holed up somewhere waiting it out." Rick said, trying to sound comforting.

She nodded, biting her lip. "He won't know where to find me even if he is. We passed this place up, didn't think we could keep it secure with just the three of us. Why would he come back here?"

"If he can get back, I bet he'll check this place out anyway. I would."

She looked a little relieved. "Really?"

"Really." He said and she nodded, staring ahead at the wall again, lost in thought. He furrowed his eyebrows, looking at himself in the mirror. "What are you gonna do if he does?"

"What do you mean?" She asked, confused.

"Are you going to take off if he shows up? You said you were considering the prison." He felt is stomach knot up at the thought she would leave.

She paused and looked at him in the mirror, meeting his eyes. "I hadn't thought that far ahead. I guess I'm just trying to take it one thing at a time."

He didn't want to press the issue, and continued tentatively. "If he does, the both of them, you're all welcome to stay. I hope you do, it's safer for everybody."

"Thanks." She said, giving him a grateful smile. She didn't pick up on the fact that he actually had become attached. He was glad he'd managed to stay subtle on that front.

"I just want you to know it's an option. Besides, it's actually kind of nice to have somebody here that didn't know Shane, and doesn't look at me like a murderous bastard."

"Just a kidnapper." She said and his eyes snapped over to her. She was kidding, he realized. A wide grin showing perfect white teeth graced her face.

"There _is _always that." He responded lightly, wiping the last of the gel from his face and hanging the towel on the mirror.

"You missed dinner, but maybe Carol saved you something." She said, yawning and stretching.

"That's ok, not really hungry. I'm gonna go shower, though." He said, turning for the door. She waved at him and he went to his cot, grabbing a clean set of clothes and a towel. The doors upstairs were shut again when he got up there, so he ducked into the bathroom and turned the icy water on full blast. He showered quickly, the cold making his breath catch in his chest, and when he got out he actually enjoyed the heat trapped in the bathroom. He toweled off quickly and got dressed, going back downstairs.

T-Dog and Daryl were back in the living room again, in the same positions as last night. "T, you got watch tonight, right?" Rick said from the doorway, running his hand through his wet hair. The big guy lifted his arm from his eyes.

"I got it." He said and Rick nodded and walked away, throwing his almost dirty clothes in a pile next to his cot. The house had shut down for the night, but he could still see candlelight coming from the partially open door to Ruby's room. He got up and poked his head in, and saw her laying across her bed upside down, an Ipod on her chest and headphones in her ears.

She spotted him and took one of the headphones out of her ear, turning to look at him. "Feel better?"

"Yeah." He said, stepping in and pushing the door to. "What are you listening to?"

"Sneaker Pimps. You like them?"

"Never heard of 'em." He said, leaning against the wall.

"Then you've been missing out, man. Come here." She sat up and crossed her legs under her. He walked across the room and sat down on her bed, facing her. She handed him a headphone and kept one in her own ear as he put it in his. It was a deep, catchy beat, kind of trance-like in a way. The female singers voice was beautiful and smooth, but Rick liked the way Ruby had sung for them at dinner better.

"What do you think?" she asked as the song ended and he pulled the headphone away from his ear.

"I like it." He nodded and she tilted her head a little.

"What kind of music do you like?"

He raised his eyebrows, thinking. He'd never listened to much. He's always been so busy, and his patrol car needed to be kept quiet.

"Rick! We got company." T-Dog called out from the dining room and the door to Ruby's room flew open as Rick stood. He glanced back at Ruby and she had a terrified expression on her face as she looked back at him.

"Walkers?"

T-Dog shook his head. "People."


	6. Don't piss her off

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC character, Ruby, however, and I adore her._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression. _

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I am a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little._

_Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

Rick grabbed her hand, pulling her behind him as he went to the living room. "How many?"

"I saw five, might be more." T-Dog said, looking out the front window through a crack in the boards. "Got a truck parked in front."

Rick stepped up beside him and looked out. A large dark truck was parked near their vehicles a large dark haired man was standing out front looking over the house. There were four others behind him, wandering nearby.

A smaller dark haired man came up next to him and said something Rick couldn't hear, and pointed to the cars.

"They're looting the cars." Rick said grimly. "We gotta stop them." He stepped back and grabbed his Python from his hip. "Daryl, T-Dog, come with me to the porch. Ruby, stay here."

He went to the door and looked back at the two other men. "Ready?" They nodded and he opened the door, moving out onto the porch, his gun in his hand. They followed and shut the door behind them, leaving Ruby at the living room window to watch after them.

The big dark man grinned when he saw Rick. "I knew somebody was here. How you doin'?" The four other men he had with him stopped to focus on Rick, T, and Daryl.

"I think you better just move on down the road, mister." Rick said quietly, readjusting his grip on his gun.

"Oh, we are." The man nodded, but the smile on his face didn't reach his eyes. Rick knew the look, he was bad news. "Just could use a night's rest is all. Maybe a little food and some ammo you got lyin' around."

Rick shook his head. "Sorry, we can't help. Best be moving on."

The man chuckled, and looked back at his men that had come up behind him, hands on their weapons and menacing looks on their worn, tanned faces. The big man turned back to Rick and tilted his head to the side. "Ok. Well, thanks anyway, man."

Rick frowned, surprised the man was seemingly giving in. Something wasn't right. We're gone, ok?"

Rick nodded warily. "I'd appreciate it."

They walked back to the truck and Rick stepped down off the stairs, following a few steps. He felt T-Dog and Daryl right behind him, and the men paused.

"Rick?" T-Dog said quickly, stepping up beside him. "Walkers."

Rick head snapped to the right and saw half a dozen walkers coming through the trees from the road. He'd been so busy keeping his focus on the men and their guns he hadn't heard the low moans and shuffling of feet.

"The guns'll draw more." T-Dog said and all them men, even the new group, turned toward the threat coming from the trees. The big guy held his gun up and fired, dropping the closest one to them.

"Can't worry about that now." Rick said and followed suit, firing into the crowd of dead things. Gunfire erupted around them and soon all six walkers were laying in piles along the ground beyond the tree line. Rick turned back toward the man he'd been speaking to before, his gun still in his hand.

"This is gonna draw more. I suggest you clear out before they get here." Rick said quietly, and the man gave an amused chuckle.

"No thank you for helping you here?"

"Considering they probably followed you, I'm gonna say no."

"We can handle the walkers." He peered around Rick to the porch. "Besides, I don't think you got much of a choice."

Rick followed his eyes back to the porch and let out an angry curse. His stomach flew into his throat. Standing on the porch in front of the open door to the house was one of the man's guys, and he had Ruby by the neck, holding her in front of him and a gun to her temple. She met Rick's eyes and though she looked calm, he could see the panic in her eyes. The man had taken the walkers as a distraction to get around them to the house, and now he was going to lose Ruby because of it.

He raised his gun and pointed it at the man on the porch, T and Daryl keeping their weapons pointed at the rest of his men in the yard. Rick took a step closer and the man who had Ruby shoved the nose of the gun deeper against her head, making her wince.

"Don't come any closer, man. I'll kill her, even if she's a damn sweet piece." He pulled her closer, moving his arm down around her waist and putting his cheek against the side of her forehead. She grimaced and tried to pull her face away, but he yanked her hard.

Rick held up his hands in surrender. "Not coming any closer, just let her go. You don't have to hurt her. We'll give you what you want."

The big guy spoke up from behind him and Rick looked back at him. "Well, now we're talkin'. We'll take her too."

Rick narrowed his eyes at the man. "You can't have her."

They started laughing and Rick felt his body set on fire. He looked back at T-Dog and Daryl, and took a deep breath, making a slight motion with his eyes. Take out the big guy and his guys on the yard. He'd take the man holding Ruby.

"She yours, man? Takin good care of you?" The big man said, almost obscenely. "I bet she does a fine job, can't wait to find out for myself."

"I'll go. Just leave them alone." Ruby said in a calm, strong voice, and the new men grinned.

"She's got sense, gotta give her that." The man looked at Rick, amused. He felt sick, and looked back at Ruby, deeply confused. She couldn't mean that. But she took her eyes away from him and turned around to face her captor. She looked up into his face and smiled seductively.

"Let's go, then."

He grinned lavisciously and gave her a little more room to move. They started down the steps and some of the new man's group started back for the car, leaving the big guy and one other still facing Rick.

Rick felt like he was in slow motion. He focused on Ruby as they got to the bottom of the steps. She moved her hand around to her side and in a flash of moonlight on metal, she whipped a knife out and spun around, burying it in the man's stomach. She grabbed the gun from his hand as he fell to his knees and turned it around to face the big guy as Rick, Daryl and T-Dog started firing. They moved as a single, coordinated unit, and Ruby ducked and got behind them.

The big guy seemed to know something was going to happen, but he wasn't prepared for how fast they moved. Rick got him in the neck and he fell, blood spurting out and pouring out over his light gray shirt. Rick fired again, not hearing the bullets flying around him, and this one hit him in the head, knocking him back.

"There's one behind the truck!" T-Dog shouted as the gunfire faded, and they flew around the truck, flanking it at both sides. The guy popped up and fired a round, and Rick felt it whiz by his ear as he fired. The guy was hit by three different bullets and he staggered back and fell to the ground in a shower of blood, not moving.

Rick spun around and jogged back to where Ruby stood over the man who had been holding her. His gun was in her hand and she was watching him writhe and groan on the ground, his hands dancing around the knife in his gut but not taking it out. Rick, T-Dog, and Daryl stopped a few feet away, watching her with wide eyes. She was so calm, anyone would think she was deciding what to order in a restaurant or what to wear by the thoughtful expression on her face.

"Don't kill me. I'm sorry..." The man was mumbling, his face contorted in pain. She knelt down next to him and frowned.

"I guess you shouldn't have put that gun to my head, huh?" She said like she was speaking to a two year old.

"Ruby, give me the gun." Rick said, stepping closer and holding out his hand. She didn't blame her for being pissed, but if he could keep her from having to kill a person, he'd do it.

She looked up at him and raised an eyebrow before putting her attention back on the injured man. "I didn't mean it, I'm sorry." He whined and she narrowed her eyes.

"Mmm, sorry. Don't really believe that." She said almost apologetically and stood back up. She handed the gun to Rick and walked around the man on the ground, all eyes on her. She leaned down and ripped the knife out of his belly and he let out a scream. Wiping the blade on her jeans she walked back to Daryl and handed it to him, handle end first. "I borrowed this."

"Thanks." He said, floored, and they watched her walk back to the house and climb the stairs. Rick let out a deep breath and looked down at the man twisting and blubbering on the ground. He brought his Python up and fired, and he fell still.

"Wow." T-Dog said softly. "Remind me not to piss her off, man."

Rick looked back at the house and frowned. "Get them off the yard, throw them off toward the trees and watch for walkers. I'm gonna go check on her."

They nodded and reached for the first body as he jogged up the stairs and went for her room. She was sitting on the side of the bed, looking at her hands in her lap, her fingers clenching and unclenching.

"You ok?" He asked softly from the doorway and she looked up, pensively nodding her head. "You were amazing out there. I thought you might have meant it when you said you were going to go."

She looked disgusted. "It's good to know I'm such a good actress." She stood and paced around in front of him.

"Rick?" Carol's voice came from the hallway and he turned and went to the dining room. She spotted him and came forward, wringing her hands. "Is everything alright? They're pretty scared upstairs."

He nodded. "We had a problem, but it's gone now. We're safe."

She looked relieved and nodded. "I'll let them know."

"Thanks. Get some sleep." He said and watched her go behind the wall and up the stairs. He went back to Ruby quickly and found her still pacing. "Hey, calm down. It's over now." He went to her and put his hands on her shoulders, stopping her. She looked up into his eyes and sighed.

"I'm fine. Just a little shaken up."

He pulled her into a hug and he felt her tense. He didn't blame her, it had been a traumatic even, but she relaxed after a moment and he felt her arms tighten around his waist. "Thanks, Rick."

"You're more than welcome." He said softly, his mouth against her soft hair. "I'm sorry, though. That I dropped my guard, let them get that close. It won't happen again."

"It wasn't your fault." She said, her voice muffled against his chest. He moved his hand, resting it on her cheek, his thumb lightly stroking her skin there and he pulled back a little to see her eyes. They were bright but reflected the worn countenance of someone much older, and he wanted nothing more than to take that away from her.

The front door shut, startling them both and her arms fell from around him, back to her sides. He reluctantly let her go, stepping back. "Get some sleep. I'm right outside that door, ok?"

She nodded and went back to her bed. She laid down and turned her face toward the wall, away from him. He pressed his lips together tightly and left the room.

"They're gone. The truck is pulled around back in case anybody else comes." Daryl said and Rick nodded his appreciation.

"How is she?" T-Dog asked, looking past him to Ruby's closed door.

"On edge, but she'll be ok." Rick answered. "I can take watch tonight."

"Nah. I'll do it." Daryl said, looking over his crossbow and arrows. "Probably be more of 'em and I don't want you firin' off that gun again. That's why we're gonna have walkers in the first place."

He had a point, Rick realized.


	7. Tell me what you REALLY think

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC character, Ruby, however, and I adore her._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression. _

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I am a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little._

_Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

_**** Hey guys! Thank you SO MUCH for the wonderful feedback you've given. I love that you are enjoying the story as much as I am writing it. This chapter is going to delve into Rick's relationship with the people in the house now that so much had changed, and his and T-Dog's heart to heart at the end seals it, I think. I have heard that I may not have written Lori very true to form, and I want to explain where my interpretation of her comes from. In the season finale, when Rick revealed he killed Shane and she yanked away from his touch and stared him down like she didn't know him. That's what did it for me, because I felt Rick realized he'd lost Shane forever, and now he'd lost the one woman he'd moved heaven and earth to get back to because, in her heart, she'd chosen Shane, no matter what she might have said. If I were Rick, I think I'd have snapped, so there ya go. Thanks again, everyone!_

The lessening of tension that usually comes when a major threat has been eliminated didn't come. He couldn't relax even a little, not with Ruby so torn up in the adjoining room, Daryl out there watching for walkers, his son upstairs probably terrified out of his mind. Deciding to try and do something about it, he climbed the stairs to the second floor and made his way to Lori and Carl's room.

Knocking gently, he opened it slowly and saw Beth laying back on a cot in the corner, and Lori sitting up in the bed holding Carl close. She looked up at him and for once, she didn't seem furious. Just worried, and he took a few steps toward them, close enough to tousle Carl's hair. The boy looked back at him and put his little arms around Rick's waist.

"Walkers from the road got too close, but we stopped them." He said softly and Lori nodded, focusing her attention on the bedspread beneath her fingers.

"You think we should stay here? Even with the boarded up windows downstairs we're still pretty close to the road." She asked, looking back up at him as she finished.

He frowned, patting Carl's shoulder. "I know. I think we need to talk about it, all of us."

"You said this wasn't a democracy anymore." She countered, but her voice didn't have the same bite it had over the last week. He just took it as a sign to stop for now. Getting into it so late and after what he'd just done was less than appealing.

"Carl, you and your mom get some sleep. We'll be downstairs keeping watch, nothin's getting' in here, ok?"

"Ok, dad." Carl shifted back next to Lori, and he nodded to her and Beth as he left the room. He poked his head into the open door of Maggie and Glen's room, and saw them sitting on the bed facing each other, talking softly.

"Nothing to worry about, it's over for tonight." He said.

"Thanks, Rick." Glen said and Maggie forced a tight smile. She was worried, anyone could see it, but Rick left her to be comforted by her boyfriend and shut their door behind him before heading back down the stairs. He checked on Carol last before going to the living room and looking out through the slats next to T.

"Anything?" He asked.

"A few more walkers drawn by the shots, but Daryl took 'em down pretty fast. He's in that tree, see?" T pointed to a tall oak in the front yard next to the road they'd pulled up in. If T hadn't pointed Daryl out, Rick would have missed the hunter completely. Only a portion of his leg, swinging slightly below a branch showed, and Rick scanned the yard quickly. It would have to wait till the morning to pick up any new bodies, the important thing was to stay quiet now and avoid drawing any further attention to themselves.

"I don't want to leave him out there without backup. Get some sleep, I'll watch with him." Rick said and T sat back a little.

"You sure?"

"Yeah."

"Ok, man." T didn't fight it, standing and moving to his cot in the corner and flopping on it tiredly. Rick was glad the fire had died away, the candles in the room extinguished. The darkness made the moonlight drenched ground outside very easy to see, and Rick got comfortable in his perch at the window. He thought about the prison Ruby had mentioned for the hundredth time, wondering if he was making the right decision to not go for now. Lori was right though, and it was something he'd thought himself. They were too close to the road, and the events that had just transpired only served to prove that.

But the prison... probably filled with walkers or Merle Dixon types, maybe both. He found he wanted to talk to Ruby about it further. If Paul had wanted to go, and he'd obviously been smart enough to keep them alive, he wanted to know why.

When the sun was almost ready to break the horizon, Rick saw Daryl drop easily from the tree and stretch a little as he walked back to the house. Neither of them had moved the whole night, and Rick found he was similarly stiff-muscled as he moved away from the window. Daryl opened the door quietly and nodded to him as he went to the couch in the living room and sat down wearily.

"Figured you were watchin'." He drawled through a yawn. "We got lucky. Must not a been a whole lotta those things on the road when those boys came through."

Rick locked the door after him, biting the inside of his cheek as he did so. "I got some ideas on how to not draw attention to us from the road."

"So do I, but I'm getting' some sleep first." Daryl said and Rick jerked his head in acknowledgment. The man rolled over on the couch and threw his arm over his eyes, and Rick went back into the dining room. Grabbing a fresh shirt from beside his cot, he changed quickly and heard a slight bump come from Ruby's room.

He knocked softly and she answered almost immediately. When she saw it was him she left the door open and stepped back for him to enter.

"Did you get some rest?" He asked and she nodded.

"Surprisingly, yes." She said, grabbing her brush from the vanity and running it through her hair quickly.

"I need to ask you about the prison, what do you know about it? Why was your group going? Was it a hunch or did you hear something?" He laid the questions out as he sat down on the edge of her bed.

She shrugged. "It's Georgia State, but you probably already know that. It's huge, Paul said he'd been there once or twice for work, said it was safe if we could secure part of it, clean it out. But hear anything? No." She pulled her dark hair up into a messy bun on the back of her head and turned toward him, leaning back against the vanity and crossing her arms over her chest. "You rethinking it?"

"I don't know. Maybe. What do you want to do?" He asked, and she raised her eyebrows in response.

"You want to know what I want to do?" She sounded amused and came to sit next to him, curling her leg up under her.

"Yeah, I do." He said and she took in a deep breath.

"The only reason I wasn't going was because I was alone. Paul might be there already, Sarah too." She reasoned, looking back at him closely. "Might be worth a shot. What do you want to do, Rick?"

"Keep everybody together, and everytime we walk into someplace blind, we leave with less than we came in with. But, if Paul was so sure about it, it made me wonder."

"If I knew they were there, I'd have left already, but I don't know that. They could be out here searching for me. We've only been here two days, maybe we should wait a couple more. Are you going to ask the others if they wanna go?"

"If I don't and they find out I knew about it, they really will stop believing anything I tell them." He rubbed the bridge of his nose hard, squeezing his eyes shut. "I need to think about it, but I want to make sure we can't be seen from the road again. I don't want a repeat of last night."

"You're not the only one. What did you have in mind?" She brought her knees up to under her chin and wrapped her arms around her legs.

"Cover the windows better, I don't want to be able to see any light from the front of the house when we have a fire going. Move the cars around back, make this place look abandoned."

She swung her legs off the bed and went to her closet quickly. Getting down, she dug through some articles and fabric on the floor and pulled out an armful of black cloth. "We can use this, hang it over all the openings down here. I found it the first night we got here."

He stood up and went to her, taking a piece of the fabric in his fingers and looking at it closely. "This'll work. Come on."

They went to the kitchen and she dug a pair of scissors from a drawer, then they took their finds to the living room and stepped quietly around the sleeping T-Dog and Daryl. Motioning for him to hold the cloth up to the window, she moved around him and made a cut in the cloth to fit the opening. When it was free from the rest of the bolt he hung it on the nails they had put into the board on the window.

They covered the other window in the living room the same way, then went to the dining room where they could at least speak in hushed tones.

"Doesn't the hutch cover that window pretty well?" She asked after they's covered the front window and looked at the one to the side of the house.

"Yeah, I think so. We'll do the ones upstairs facing out when the others are awake." He said, folding the cloth up in his hands and tossing it on the table. "We need to move the cars."

They walked outside and kept their attentions on the surrounding treeline as they each chose a car and hopped up into their respective driver's seats. The keys had been left in the ignitions, something they'd grown accustomed to doing on the farm, and she followed his lead as he pulled away from the front of the house and down the slight incline to the back.

He saw the truck the killers from the night before had left and when he parked the car he drove safely out of sight behind the house, he walked over to it.

"They have anything good?" She asked, coming up to the other side of the bed of the truck. Her words were casual, but they held a taste of bitterness, one which he could not blame her for.

"Some canned stuff, looks like. Tents..." He said slowly, picking through the bags and zippered canvas stacked in the bed. She walked around her end and hopped up into the back easily.

She pushed a bag of clothes back and laughed softly, making him look up curiously. Her eyes met his as she pulled a sawed off shotgun out from underneath a tarp. "Not bad, huh?"

He reached out for it and checked the weapon. It was fully loaded. "Not bad at all. Any more?"

"Yeah, handguns and two rifles too." She grinned and held a couple more weapons up. He went to the gate of the truck and took it down, laying the weapons she handed to him on it.

"Ammo?" He asked as she handed him the last gun. She dug around and came up with three boxes, shaking them gently.

"One is full, the other two are mostly full." She said and he put those next to the guns with a smile. It did, however, chill his blood that these men were planning on taking their guns and ammo, too, even with what they already had.

"They had medicine, too." She said, pulling a ziploc baggie out a canvas duffle. She tossed it to him and he inspected it.

"We'll get this to Hershel. Let's get the guns and food inside." He said, feeling suddenly slightly more optimistic. Last night was a nightmare, but they were still all there, and they'd come out on top. First time that had happened in a while.

They carried their finds around to the front of the house and went in the front door. T-Dog was waking up and his eyes grew slightly when he saw what they carried.

"You search the truck?" He asked and they nodded, taking the stuff to the coffee table and laying it out.

"There's some clothes too, you guys should see if anything fits." Ruby said and T-Dog went back outside with them. She and T walked around the house as Rick fired up the last car and drove around.

"This is good. We didn't get a chance to get much from the farm." T said to her as they started pulling the bags of clothes out and carrying them back to the house. Rick grabbed a few bags too and followed.

"T-Dog, give me a hand getting the back door usable again. We'll go in and out through there from now on." Rick said and T nodded, following him to the kitchen. They took hammers and pried off the boards they had sealed the door with, but leaving the ones that covered the glass on the top half. Rick opened it and looked out, making sure they had a way easily in and out of the house. Seeing it was right next to the door to cellar, he nodded his approval. "This'll be better."

T nodded and gathered the boards they had pulled free. He carried them out tot he living room and put them on the floor in front of the door. Ruby had separated the usable clothing from the trash, and found another box of ammo. He grinned at her appreciatively and knelt down to look at a few shirts and pants she'd thrown into a pile. They would fit, and he tossed them on his cot as she got up and went back into the kitchen.

Carol had woken up and come out to find Rick filling bottles of water up at the sink.

"What's going on? I heard the cars." She said, coming to look through the new canned goods she saw on the table.

"We're moving everything to the back, hopefully we won't have another night like the last one if it looks deserted." Rick said, taking a drink of one of the bottles he'd just filled. He looked up as Ruby and T-Dog came back in.

"More ammo, and some clothes that'll work for you." Ruby said, handing him a armful of clothing.

"Thanks." He said, meeting her eyes. It didn't seem to bother her that they would wear the clothes of their attackers, so he allowed himself to quickly take them to his cot in the dining room and drop them in a pile on the thin mattress. Going back to the kitchen, he saw Ruby helping Carol make a light breakfast, and he gestured to T to follow him outside.

They spent the next couple hours getting broken things from the shed he'd found the generator in and getting it up around the house. The tall grass helped to complete the effect that the house was abandoned and unable to be used, and they stood back and looked over their work when they were done.

"I wouldn't go in there." T-Dog said flatly and Rick chuckled.

"That's the idea."

The back of the house was another matter. They walked around the house and saw Carol and Ruby hanging out laundry he didn't recognize on the line. He was going to object that the women had come out without them but Ruby had a gun tucked in the back of her jeans and he let it go.

"I left breakfast for you two on the table." Carol said as they finished up and met them at the back door.

"Thanks." Rick said and he and T grabbed a seat at the table, pulling their plates of fruit and crackers toward themselves. Carol and Ruby got back to work doing another large load in the wash bin and he watched them work as he chewed. Ruby was focused, giving Carol short answers to her idle conversation. Once, her eyes met Rick as she was squeezing water out of a shirt and he turned the corner of his mouth up at her. She smiled and focused on her chore again.

The shower went off upstairs, they could hear it through the pipes in the house. The others must be getting ready for the day. When T-Dog got up to go get a shower himself Rick grabbed a pile of wet clothes and went with Ruby to the clothes line as Carol cleaned up the wash mess in the kitchen.

"It was a good idea, moving everything around back here." She said as she pulled articles from the pile in his hands and hung them.

"I shoulda done it when we first got here, maybe last night wouldn't have happened." He said apologetically and she frowned at him.

"Forget last night, Rick. It was awful but it wasn't the first time. If it had happened at the ice house I'd have been screwed. Least I was here."

"I wanted to come check on you again last night, you seemed pretty upset."

She shook her head as she hung a shirt. "Nothing a night sleep won't cure."

He handed her the last pair of pants and after she hung them he instructed her to get the keys out of the cars and lock them up. Maybe he wouldn't have to worry about looters now, at least they'd make noise trying to get in. They hung the keys inside the back door, where the last owners of the house had conveniently placed hooks in the wall.

The rest of the house had begun milling around and he quickly gathered them in the living room, where Daryl had woken back up and sat rubbing his eyes. They took places on every available seat, and Rick noticed Ruby took her now usual place between Maggie and Carol on the other couch.

"I know last night scared some of you," He began, looking around the room. "So we've been working to try and make sure it doesn't happen again. No light will get through the windows after we're done hanging the shades, and don't pull them back at all if there's a lit fire or a candle in your room. We're blocking the front door, we're gonna use the back from now on. T and I spent the morning putting stuff in front of the house to block the door and windows too, make it look abandoned. And the cars have been pulled around back and locked. The keys are hanging on the wall if you need them, but if you do go outside, you need to let us know."

They all nodded their acceptance of the new plan, but Rick noticed Ruby looked very concerned. He quickly adjourned the group and met her just inside the dining room.

"What is it?" He asked, holding out a hand to stop her.

"It's Paul. If he comes around and thinks there's no one here, I'll miss him." She said, her brows knitted together.

"We'll keep watch, 24/7. Anybody comes down that road, we'll know." He said reassuringly and she nodded, allowing a tentative smile to grace her face for a moment. "Don't worry, I'm not gonna let you miss him."

She nodded her thanks and he squeezed the back of her neck gently as they both turned and went back to the group milling around the living room and kitchen. Lori noticed them together and her expression darkened but she stayed quiet, no death glares to either one of them, and Rick found himself mildly surprised. When she went to join Maggie and Carol in the kitchen, he and T-Dog used the wood they had gotten from the back door to secure the front. When they were done, nothing was getting through.

Glen had retrieved the guitar again and when Rick and T were heading upstairs to cover the rest of the windows, he heard the young man strumming over the instrument and asking Ruby if they could play again. He could hear her voice and the sounds of the guitar softly coming up the stairwell to where they were working, and he smiled a little as he hooked the material into place.

"She's getting a little more comfortable, isn't she?" T asked, shooting him a strange look and Rick felt the room get a little warmer.

"Seems like it."

"She wouldn't even look at us when she got here. Now she's holding concerts." T pressed and Rick nodded.

"Yeah." He answered shortly as they moved to another window.

"It ain't my business, man. I know that, but I see the way you and Ruby act together. Even when she wouldn't hardly talk to us she still worked with you like you'd known each other for forever. How'd that happen?"

"I guess we get along." Rick said, finally turning his attention fully to the man. "Where you goin' with this?"

T-Dog shrugged and looked him in the eye. "I think you should run with it."

"What?" Rick asked, taken aback.

"We all knew about Lori and Shane, and I'm not tryin' to piss you off by saying that. When he didn't come back from that field, she changed. She didn't just shut down with you, she walks around like her whole world's been ripped away and that didn't happen till Shane was gone. The way she avoids you or starts a screaming fight ain't right. We all hear it, we're too close not to."

"Ok." Rick said tentatively, thinking he knew where this was going.

"Ruby's good, and she gets along with everybody here. Hell, even Daryl from what I see. And the way she took that guy down last night was kick ass. I'm just saying that spending time with her might take some of that stress offa you, man."

"And Lori? What about her, and Carl?" Rick was asking the questions he was expecting everyone to be asking him. Playing devil's advocate. The last thing he expected was one of his group coming to him and saying they approved of the things that hadn't stopped running through him mind since he'd met the girl.

"What about her? She already doesn't speak to you unless she wants to fight. You don't even sleep in the same room."

"She's pregnant." Rick said and T-Dog sighed exasperatedly.

"Yeah, and she's got a whole house of people watching out for her. I'm not saying you ignore her, but you don't have to stay away from Ruby either. And Carl, you think it doesn't bother him to see his parents this way? I grew up with my folks screaming at the top of their lungs at each other, I'd wished every night they'd just shut the hell up and find something that made them happy."

Rick bit his cheek and considered the man for a moment. Realizing that he still had some support from the people he'd seemed to have lost made his stomach knot tightly, painfully. "T-Dog, that first night we lost the farm, what I said-"

"You were a mess, man, and I don't blame you for that. You did what you had to do. And I'm not tryin' to talk you into anything here, just wanted you to know that we don't think you're as bad as you think we do."

Rick pressed his lips together and T-Dog held up his hand. Rick grabbed it and they bumped shoulders like brothers. "Thanks."

"Don't mention it. Let's get this done, man. They're havin' way too much fun down there without us."


	8. Take it slow

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC character, Ruby, however, and I adore her._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression. _

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I am a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little._

_Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

_**** A shorter chapter but I couldn't get to sleep till I got it out. Smoochies, everyone. Gotta love the sweetness... Hope you like it!_

Daryl was coming in from the back door when Rick and T-Dog came down from the bedrooms.

"Got the bodies off the yard." Daryl drawled as he put his face under the tap and rinsed the sweat and dirt off of it.

"Good." Rick said appreciatively, grabbing one of the water bottles off the counter. Carol had put all the food in the cabinets and pantry, and the kitchen was actually pretty clean and organized now. Very different than it had been since they'd gotten there. Rick leaned back against the counter and looked out into the living room, where Ruby, Glen, Maggie and Beth sat in a small circle. Glen was practicing strumming on the guitar and the occasional burst of laughter or quick chatter met his ears. He didn't see Carl, Lori or Hershel and he stepped forward, looking to the dining room. The three of them sat there at the table, working over what Rick could only imagine was schoolwork. He stepped back in and saw Carol's door shut. For some reason, it was utterly important to know where everyone was at all times.

"T-Dog, why don't you take first watch? We need to make sure we have eyes out all the time, and Glen can take the next one." Rick said and T-Dog nodded, going out into the living room and taking a place in an armchair against the window.

"I know that girl knows better songs than that." Daryl said in a low voice and went to flop in a chair near the small group. Rick followed and sat on the end of the couch, leaning back and taking in a deep breath, listening to the light conversation.

"What else you know?" Daryl spoke up and Ruby thought about it for a minute. She took the guitar back from Glen and looked at him.

"You got something specific in mind?" She asked curiously and he shrugged.

"Doubt you'd know it." He said challengingly.

"Try me." She shot back and Rick stifled a grin.

Daryl raised an eyebrow and sat forward. "Fine." He started to hum a tune, and he was several chords into it when a smile broke out over Ruby's face. He narrowed his eyes warily at her and she started to strum the guitar slowly.

_The sun shown down in it's glory,_

_Shown down on the deep blue sea._

_Where the Titanic was sinkin'_

_Far out on the deep blue sea._

_The captain was lying down sleepin'_

_When he dreamed a sad, sad dream._

_He dreamed the Titanic was sinkin'_

_Far out on the deep blue sea._

_He rose and he called to the rich man,_

_He told him to come to life._

_And save his little baby,_

_also his darling wife._

_The captain, he must have been drinkin'_

_For he knew that he had done wrong._

_He was trying to win the record,_

_When he let the titanic go down._

_The sun shown down in its glory,_

_Shone down on the deep blue sea._

_While the Titanic was sinkin'_

_Far out on the deep blue sea..._

Ruby trailed off and Daryl shook his head disbelievingly. "How the hell did you know that?"

"My real mother, she sang all those old songs to me." She said, resting her arm on the top of the guitar.

"Damn..." Daryl said, obviously impressed. And it took a lot to impress him, Rick knew.

"It was pretty." Beth said with a smile, looking back at Daryl before returning her gaze to Ruby.

"Do you know any old ones?" Ruby asked her and Beth nodded. She launched into a lullaby kind of song in her softer, higher pitched voice. It was childlike, but pretty, and Ruby grinned at her encouragingly as she sang.

"I know a Korean one, if you wanna hear it." Glen offered when Beth was done, and soon, they were going around the circle taking turns. Rick heard Maggie start just as he drifted into an exhausted sleep.

When he woke there was a low fire in the fireplace, built small so it not only didn't heat up the room too much but the smoke from the fireplace would be faint. Carol was moving back and forth from the kitchen quietly, but smiled when she saw him raise his head.

"I hope I didn't wake you." She said softly and he shook his head. He sat up and felt the pillow from his cot had been brought to him on the sofa. He wondered if Ruby had done that, but the room was almost empty of the others.

"Where is everybody?" He groaned lightly as he moved, the weird position had tensed his muscles, making them sore.

"They finished dinner a while ago and I was cleaning up. Glen is watching from upstairs, and T-Dog moved his cot up to an empty room. I think the others are asleep now. Saved you some food in the kitchen." She said, gathering the last of the cookware from the fire and taking it to the kitchen.

"I'll get it in a little bit, thanks." He said and she nodded. He went to the fire and brushed the old ashes over the low flames with the end of a broken shovel somebody had brought in, and when he was satisfied the fire would extinguish soon he got up and headed to the darkened dining room. Even as he slept, he thought of what T-Dog had said to him earlier, and it invaded his fitful dreams with vivid flashes of faces. Lori's, Carl's, Shane's more than once, and Ruby following them all. He saw the pale candlelight from under her door in the darkness and knocked softly.

She didn't answer, so he opened the door and peered around carefully, not wanting to catch her indisposed. But she was laying back on the bed, her knees up and bobbing along to the music she was listening to through her headphones. She didn't see him at first, only noticing him when he took a few steps into the room, pushing the door closed behind him.

"Hey." She said with a smile, pulling her headphones out of her ears. "You were sacked out, I thought you might be the rest of the night."

He shook his head and leaned against the foot of her bed, resting his elbows on the foot board. She'd changed back into those shorts and tank top she seemed to like to sleep in, and he had to force himself not to stare at the length of her legs, so graceful and golden in the dim, flickering light.

"I never could sleep long, being in camp kind of solidified that." He countered.

She flicked her Ipod off and sat up. "I know what you mean. I used to be able to sleep through a tornado, and now, a door shuts and I'm up for hours. Did you get your dinner?"

"I will." He said. "I'm gonna clean up first. Maybe shave." He ran his hand over the deep stubble there.

"I've got water in the basin if you want it. I left that shaving cream there too." She said, and he felt a tingle of excitement that she would assume he would shave there when he could easily do it in the bathroom upstairs. He moved to the vanity and saw she had left the razor she had given him next to the basin awaiting him, and he fought the urge to look back at her and find out what that really meant.

He wet his face and put a little shaving cream in his hands, smoothing it over his face, when he felt her come up behind him.

"Here you go." She said, draping a small hand towel over his shoulder. He met her eyes in the mirror and he smiled back at her.

"Thanks." He said, picking the razor up and running it over his chin. She leaned back against the wall and watched him through the mirror, her face peaceful and curious.

"What're you thinkin' about?" He asked, and she took a deep breath in.

"It's stupid."

"Let me be the judge of that." He said, running the razor over his face again and shaking it out in the basin.

"I guess... I came across some groups out there that were just waiting to kill each other or anyone else that came along. I was just wondering how I got lucky enough to end up here. This old house feels safer than anything I've come across in ages, even with Paul and Sarah."

He chuckled softly. "I'm actually glad you seem to have forgotten how. Not my shining moment."

"It turned out ok, and you can't argue results. Even Lori wasn't as evil to me today as she has been."

"Well, you're hard not to like." He said and her eyes flicked up to him in the mirror. She smiled after a moment and looked back down at the floor, her brain obviously working around that comment.

His breath caught in his throat when he hit a snag in the stubble and nicked himself. A tiny trail of red blood began to show through the white cream on his face and he brushed his thumb over it, inviting more blood to come bubbling up to the surface quickly.

"You know better than that." She said and took the towel she had put on his shoulder. Taking the tip of it, she moved around to his front and pressed it to the tiny cut firmly, holding it there. He felt her closeness, her body heat so close to his and his breath faltered in his chest. "You only have a little left, give me the razor."

He handed the razor to her, his eyes not leaving her face, and he watched as she dipped it in the basin and brought it back up to his face. She did the last two strips smoothly, putting the razor down and using the other side of the towel to wipe away the left over shaving cream from his face. He swallowed at the intimacy of the moment, and her innocence in it, and couldn't help but allow his hand to drift to her hip, pressing his fingers in the small space where her tank top met her shorts.

She pulled the towel away from his face slowly, and he saw her swallow hard. "It's stopped bleeding." She said softly, and he could tell his hand was very much affecting her, as it was him.

"Thank you." He said in a low voice, so low he was surprised she could hear it. He didn't know if it was the talk he'd had with T-Dog, or just her being so damn beautiful and close to him, but he dipped his head down and brushed her lips with his. A shock, like an electric charge, went through his head and down into his body and he froze, against her warm, soft lips. It took a moment, but she moved her lips a little tighter against his, her hand moving up to his now smooth cheek.

It was the first kiss he'd had with anyone else since he'd begun dating Lori so many years ago, but he found he wasn't thinking about that. He was thinking of how much he'd wanted to do this since the moment he'd laid eyes on Ruby. Of how her soft skin felt against the roughness of his callused hands as he rubbed them across her back and up under the top she wore. Of how her breath was a little sweet, and her tongue danced with his in her mouth. She matched him in passion and vigor, running her arms up around his neck and tangling her fingers in his short, brown hair.

They gained a little speed then, he held her a little tighter and she pulled his head down to hers a bit more firmly. Before he knew it, he'd picked her up and carried her to the bed, letting her fall back gently before he moved to get over her. Moving his hands, he ran them up the front of her taut stomach and between her full breasts, up past her face and into her long, wavy hair, letting his fingers get lost.

He lifted a little and pulled his shirt off in one swift motion, but when he reached for hers, he felt her hesitate. Pulling back a little, he ran a hand over her soft cheek and searched her eyes.

"What is it?" He whispered, bringing his lips to her neck and caressing the tender, sensitive skin below her earlobe.

"I just think you have a lot going on right now, with everything." She said slowly, pressing her lips together. "I don't want to complicate that anymore than it already is, and if I don't say something now, I don't think I'll be able to."

He knew what she was saying, and a few days ago, it would have made him angry, but now, he felt a deep respect for her grow in the pit of his stomach along with a raging desire that was not so easily quelled. It screamed at him, the world ended! There _are_ no divorce lawyers! It was over for Lori and him a long time ago!

He pushed those thoughts aside and let the rational ones in. They were in a house with a ton of people, and no matter what T-Dog said, this needed to be handled carefully. He smiled against her neck and nodded, pausing there before he rolled onto his side next to her, facing her and running his fingertips along her jawline.

"I'm not stopping because I think it's wrong." He whispered and her brows knitted together, trying to understand what he was saying. "I need you, and I can't file that away. But I want you to feel like this is right, like I do. If that takes a little time, it's ok."

His words seemed to clear her mind a little, a smile graced her face as she looked up at him. He wrapped his arm over her and pulled her close, so her cheek rested against his bare chest, her fingertips tracing little circles over his skin and her warm breath making him tingle with goosebumps.

She fell asleep in his arms, and it took every ounce of willpower he had to not stay there with her all night. But when he was sure she was sleeping deeply, he brushed her hair out of her face and kissed her forehead. She stirred, but did not awaken, even when he removed his arm and stood up from the bed. He took a sheet from the rumpled bed and pulled it over her, then put his own shirt back on and slipped out of the room silently. He took the stillness in the house to take the cold shower he very much needed at that time, quickly ate the dinner Carol had left for him, suddenly realizing how hungry he was. He felt good, though, like something had been achieved, and when he slipped into the cot in the dining room, he couldn't help but hold her face in his mind when he closed his eyes.


	9. He looks like a whiskey drinker

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC character, Ruby, however, and I adore her._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression. _

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I am a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little._

_Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

_**** Yet more delightful reviews and followers, and I can't thank you enough. I hope the last couple chapters haven't been too slow. This one was a lot of fun to write, going a bit more into Ruby's affection for the others in the house. I want to make sure you know that the thing she does for Lori is NOT in anyway an attempt to get the woman to like her. Quite the contrary, she stays out of it. It is only in the hope that life will be a little more bearable for Rick. (I know that should come across in the writing itself, but you never know how someone will read into it, you know?) Oh, BTW, you may notice a slight shift in POV. I was just doing this from Rick's, but Ruby needs a little too, now, I thought. Hope it doesn't screw everything up, fingers crossed..._

_I adore you guys! You rock!_

When he woke, the house was moving quietly around him, and he could hear the sounds of doors opening and closing, low voices drifting in from the kitchen. Glancing at his watch he saw he'd slept late, it was nearly 11. He sat up on the cot and stretched his arms over his head, working the knots out slowly. Ruby's door was uncharacteristically left open, and he got up, peering around the corner to see if she was there. The room was empty, the bed made and a pair of jeans was folded neatly and sat on the end. He let out a deep breath, remembering the feel of her in his arms right on that very bed the night before and a small smile started to spread over his face.

"You wake up happy, don't you?" He heard her from behind him and she swept past him quickly into the room. He went to the doorway and leaned against the frame, watching her. She'd just showered and her damp hair fell in tendrils around her face, a clean pair of jeans and a cut off tee that said Empire Records showed off her curves perfectly.

"Not always." He answered with a small smile.

She looked back at him, excited. "Guess what?"

"What?" He played along.

"Daryl went out really early this morning, found the next farm over. They have a big garden still, grown over but he said there's a lot still growing. Can we go get it?" Her eyes glowed with anticipation, and her cheeks were still a little flushed from the cold water. She could have asked him if they could go on a picnic in the middle of Atlanta right now and he'd have said yes. He nodded and she grinned widely, showing all her perfect white teeth.

"Maggie and Glen wanna go too, I'll get the baskets from the laundry and some bags while you get some breakfast." She chattered happily as she drug a hairbrush through her wet hair and tied it up into a ponytail. "Carol set yours aside in the kitchen."

"Alright, I'll just be a few minutes." He said and went quickly to the bathroom, then headed for the kitchen. Carol was wiping the table with an old towel and he talked to her for a few minutes as he wolfed down the fruit she'd left out for him.

"Daryl, where is this garden?" Rick asked when the man walked in a few moments later.

"Next farm down, less than a mile." Daryl let out a small groan as he sat down in the chair across from him, and Carol handed him a bottle of water, patting his shoulder as she went back to the sink. Rick saw Daryl glance at her back before focusing back on him, and he chuckled to himself. The two of them never would say how they felt about each other, even if everyone else could see it. "You want me to take you down?"

Rick shook his head, taking a drink of his own water and standing up. "I can find it, stay here and keep a lookout while we're gone."

Daryl nodded and Rick thanked Carol as he left. Maggie and Glen were standing with Ruby in the dining room, looking over the bags and baskets she had gathered. All three looked at him with smiling faces as he drew near, and he returned it.

"Ready to go?"

"Hell yeah." Maggie said, her eyes twinkling as she grabbed the bags and stuffed them in the basket. Glen took it from her and they left for the kitchen. He fell into step beside Ruby and grabbed the keys to the blue truck off the wall as they stepped out the back door. Dark clouds were on the horizon, a storm coming, he could see. They'd need to be back before it broke, but he figured they'd have a little time.

Maggie and Glen hopped up into the bed of the truck and Glen put the new rifle they'd gotten in his lap. Rick and Ruby slid into the cab at the same time, and he backed the truck up and headed down the small road toward the highway. He felt a little knot in his stomach when he realized there would be walkers, and they could follow them to the new farm. But the road was deserted, a few rotting bodies evident where Daryl had obviously been.

He looked over to Ruby next to him, watching her look at the passing trees beside the road. Reaching over, he couldn't help but reach over and put a large hand on her knee, squeezing it gently. She looked over at him and smiled peacefully, and he felt his heart jump a little in his chest. Her fingers brushed his lightly and he had to force himself to pull the hand away from her and focus on the road. Maggie and Glen caught everything, and this was something for he and Ruby alone right now.

"That's got to be it." She said, pointing to another mailbox ahead on the left side of the road and he pulled the truck in quickly, glad to be off the highway. These trees were denser than the ones in front of their house, a fact that made him wonder if they should have come here instead, but when he saw the house beyond he was glad they hadn't. It was grander, larger, but full of windows, most of them broken. An newer model Ford was crashed into a tree in the front yard, one window busted out and the others streaked with blackened, old blood. The walkers had obviously swept through here pretty heavily. Ruby spoke, catching him off guard.

"Glad we didn't come here." She said, and he almost chuckled with the fact that they were thinking exactly the same thing.

He pulled the truck down into the yard beside the house and when they reached the back they could see a large patch of overgrown field a few yards past the house. He stopped at the edge of it and they all hopped out quickly, their eyes running over every inch of the field for signs of walkers. When there was obviously none, Maggie shot out into the field and grabbed the first red tomato she saw, holding it up victoriously.

"You gotta see this, get in here!" She said in a hushed call and started gathering things into the bag she'd brought with her. Glen followed quickly with his own bag, and Ruby took the basket. Rick followed her as she walked to the opposite end of the field.

"Oh my god, they've got strawberries." Her face lit up as she got to her knees and started pulling bed berries out of the vines that covered the ground.

"You like them?" He asked, loving the excitement on her face as she gathered.

"Who doesn't?" She said, her eyes wide as she glanced up at him briefly. He made sure he kept his gun ready but he squatted next to her and helped her pick through the foliage.

When they had enough they moved a few rows over and found green beans, another favorite apparently of hers.

"We haven't had much rain, I wonder why this garden still looks so good." She wondered aloud and he scanned the edges of the field. Sure enough, there were ditches leading in equal spaces to the formerly tilled ground.

He tapped her shoulder and moved closer, pointing past her at the ditches. "They had an irrigation setup, see?"

She shielding her eyes with her hand as she followed his finger with her gaze. "Pretty smart." She said appreciatively and went back to gathering. Maggie and Glen moved further down the field and he heard her give a surprised but happy laugh as she found something she liked. He grinned and returned his gaze to Ruby. She'd gotten enough beans to fill a section of the basket and she stood, brushing herself off and picked it up. He put a hand on the small of her back to steady her as she stepped over a particularly large tangle of vines, and when they cleared it, he didn't pull away. Instead she pressed slightly backward into him and he smiled down into her face when she looked up at him.

"Oh, look. Cabbage." She said when they came across a new section. She quickly put the basket down and snapped two large heads off and put them in it.

"Carol is gonna have a ball with this." He commented, looking forward to the woman's face when they brought all this in.

"Carol, nothing." She chuckled. "I'm thisclose to eating some of this stuff right here." He laughed and she flicked her eyebrows up at him playfully.

They were almost to the end now, making sure to cover their half, and came across a section of radishes. He only knew they were because she dug a small bundle of leaves out and came up with a tiny bunch of the red vegetables. When she was done, she sat back on her haunches and brushed the dirt from her hands.

She grinned up at him and pointed behind him. He looked and saw several ample apple trees along the edge of the field. "Help me get these together so we can go to the trees." she said and he knelt down next to her, knees touching as they gathered several more bunches. When they were done she looked over to where Maggie and Glen were approaching them, bags bulging full.

"What did you find?" She asked and Maggie grinned.

"Carrots, turnips, potatoes and lettuce."

"Awesome. They've got apples, too." Ruby's enthusiasm matching Maggie's, and the girls handed Rick and Glen their bags as they went swiftly to the trees nearby.

"It's so cool seeing them this happy." Glen remarked as they followed and Rick nodded.

"Don't get to much these days." He agreed.

"Ruby's great, isn't she? Maggie and Beth love her." The young man said casually, and for once, Rick didn't hear an alternate meaning behind it. He felt comfortable enough to chuckle softly at Glen.

"She's somethin all right."

Maggie dropped her empty bag and pointed to it, her eyes on Glen. "You two get to catch."

"Catch?" Glen said, confused, but when the girls quickly climbed up the trees and a few apples fell to the ground he realized what she meant. They put the bags and basket on the ground and Rick moved under where he saw Ruby disappear. He looked up and found her on a branch above, gathering apples in her arms.

He pulled the bottom of his shirt into a makeshift bag and she started tossing the fruit down to him.

"Hey, no bruising the apples, man." She chided him when two slipped from his grasp and he grinned up at her.

"My apologies." He returned and when his shirt was full he went to Glen and dumped them into the bag the young man held.

"I think that's enough, Maggie." Ruby laughed when climbed down and saw the bag was bulging almost to bursting.

"I love apples." Maggie said with a little grin and dropped to the ground lightly, tugging her cowboy hat further down on her head.

The four of them carried their loot back to the truck, and when they'd secured it all in the bed Rick looked over at the house. "Let's check it before we go. Looks like the rain is holding off a little longer than I thought."

"Sounds good." Ruby said, hopping down of the truck and they followed Rick to the back door of the large house. Rick tried the door, finding it unlocked and he turned to Glen.

"Stay here with them while I clear the first floor. You see anything, you yell for me, got it?"

Glen nodded and Rick pulled his weapon from his hip, taking a quiet step inside. He didn't hear anything. No moans or shuffling, just the tap tap of water in the sink of the kitchen he was in. He moved quickly through the first floor, clearing a large living room with ugly green floral wallpaper, a dining room with a long mahogany table, still shiny even with the pollen and dust that had drifted in through the shattered windows nearby. A sitting room, a bathroom, all were clear and he went swiftly back to the kitchen door.

"Come on, but be quiet. Didn't get the second floor yet." He said, ushering them in. "Glen, stay here and keep watch. You two, start in the kitchen while I go upstairs."

They moved to the cabinets as he went to the staircase in the front hall and jogged up them lightly. Bedrooms, four of them, large in size and easily cleared. Bathrooms too, and he returned to the kitchen.

"We good?" Maggie asked when she saw him.

"Good." He confirmed and stepped up behind Ruby.

"Found salt, pepper, some other stuff." She said, looking back at him. "And flour, and powdered milk, can you believe it?"

"Very nice." He said, picking up a container of baking powder she'd found. He carried it and other things she'd sat on the counter to a basket Maggie had found somewhere and put it on. "Let's go up, get started up there. Maggie, when you're done check the rest of the first floor."

"You got it." The girl said, her head partially in a cabinet, and Rick took Ruby by the elbow and let her to the stairs.

The first bedroom they came to was yellow, pretty, but these windows were broken too, and a long blood streak ran across the floor. The person who left it must have gotten back up and walked away, and he saw Ruby shudder a little as she stepped over it and went to the closet. She pulled a suitcase out of the bottom and took it to the bed, propping it open.

"Maggie is gonna flip for this." She said, grabbing a couple dresses from the hangers and tossing them into the suitcase. He pulled a blue one back out and looked at it.

"You should keep this one." He said, and she looked back at him over her shoulder. "It would look great on you."

"Maybe I will." She grinned. "If you like it."

He chuckled. He knew she wasn't just following orders. They were past that. She threw a few more articles in the case and went to the dresser. She made an excited noise in her throat when she saw the abundance of undergarments, and grabbed great handfuls of them and added them to the case, clicking it closed.

"We totally should have come here first." She said as he picked it up and followed her to the next room. It was, on second look, a little boy's room, with two twin beds on either wall.

"Carl can wear most of that." He said, pulling his attention from the toy chest in the corner, a lump in his throat. It had the name Evan inscribed on the top, and he couldn't help but wonder where Evan was now. Safe somewhere, like Carl, or walking among the dead on the highway nearby.

She seemed to notice his change and she looked at him gently. "Don't think about it." He was startled. That was the second time in under an hour she'd practically read his mind. "Wherever he is, he's not suffering. They got out."

"How do you know?"

"No family pictures, they were all off the wall downstairs. Half the clothes in here are gone."

He gathered himself quickly. "Use the bins in the corner, leave the toys in there. I'll carry them down." He said, and the two of them set about folding the clothes quickly and filling the blue plastic bins against the wall. He sat them in the hallway near the stairs, and she was walking out of the room with a little bag slung over her shoulder.

"Go ahead and take them down. I'll get the other rooms." She said cheerfully and he nodded. When he got the last bin to the truck he went back up and saw she had two more suitcases in the hallway. He passed them, however, and went to the open door at the end of the hall. She was digging through a dresser and looked up when she heard him enter.

"That suitcase is fragile. Be careful with it." She said, pointing to the closed luggage on the bed.

"Fragile?" He joked, stepping in. "You're not bringing little glass figurines now, are you?"

"You are absolutely hilarious, you know that?" She answered flatly and he chuckled, bringing an armful of clothes to a second, open case. "Carol said you were a cop, you should have been a comedian."

"Finally, somebody sees it." He said with false relief and she laughed as she closed the other case.

"That's it, then." She said, picking it up and they brought the last of the bags and luggage downstairs.

"Get anything good?" She asked Maggie, who was tying up a bag in the dining rooms.

"More candles, a lot of them. And Glen found a little grill in the kitchen pantry. We won't have to light that fire for a while for Carol to cook."

"Thank god. It gets so hot."

Maggie laughed lightly. "It gets so hot in here? So hot?"

"So take off all your clothes." Ruby caught on right away, responding in a sing song voice, but Rick and Glen weren't so quick. Their heads whipped around at the her words. She laughed and Ruby gave her a fast little hip bump as she passed and they sang together.

"_I am getting so hot, I want to take my clothes off..._" They burst out laughing and Glen went bright red as he opened the door for them and went out first. Rick had to put _that_ mental imagery away before he followed.

They loaded up and were back on the road in a few minutes, Maggie and Glen balancing on the now full bed.

"We have to come back, if we stay here a while. We'll need those blankets eventually." She said, looking out at the highway ahead. They quieted down and Rick paused the vehicle, looking for walkers. Again there were none, and Ruby frowned at him.

"Well, maybe they're all gone."

"Keep hope alive." He said lightly, turning down the road and speeding off.

"I, uh... found some baby stuff, wrapped like it was going to a shower or something. It's boy stuff, but I thought you'd like to give it to Lori."

"I'm sure she'll appreciate it, thanks." He gave her a grateful smile.

"I got you something, too." She said after a moment, grinning at him.

"Yeah?" He raised an eyebrow at her. "Go on."

She dug in the bag at her feet and pulled out an electric razor, wiggling it in the air at him. "Maybe you'll stop cutting yourself into ribbons."

"We don't have electricity." He said, chuckling.

"It's battery operated."

"Did you happen to find batteries?" He asked, enjoying her growing exasperation with him.

"Better." She pulled a cord out of the bag. "Car charger. Guy must have spent a lot of time on the road. But it's got a full charge now."

"I think we have him beat on mileage." He said, putting his arm over the back of the seat, his fingers brushing her shoulder. She automatically inched closer to him, resting back on his arm and he ran his fingertips lightly over her arm as he looked out over the road ahead.

"Walker." He said suddenly, pulling his arm back and sitting up, slowing the truck a little. The thing shambled slightly toward them from the treeline, aware of the sound of a motor, but just as Rick began to pull his Python the thing jerked and fell, an arrow planted in the back of it's skull. Daryl appeared a second later, ripping the arrow out of the walker and looking up at them approaching. Rick pulled the truck to a stop when they got to him and Ruby rolled the window down.

"Have there been more?" He leaned over Ruby a little as Daryl propped an arm up on the top of the truck and leaned in.

"Not really, bastard just had good timin'."

"Get in, we'll take you back." Rick said and Daryl shook his head.

"I wanna make sure nothin followed ya. I'll be in in a while."

Rick nodded and was putting the car into drive again when Ruby pulled a large bottle of whiskey out of her bag and passed it through the window to Daryl with a smile. He took it, surprised, and ran his eyes over the label before looking up at her.

"Must be one hell of a garden. They're growin' the shit now." He said lightly, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Thought you'd appreciate it." She answered.

"I think we're gonna keep you, girl." Daryl said, reaching in and chucking her in the shoulder. She grinned at him and Rick pulled the truck away and down the short road to the farm house.

"You're full of surprises." He said, sliding his eyes over to her.

She shrugged. "It was in the kitchen. I've known a lot of whiskey drinkers, he looked like one."

He smiled and shook his head, again appreciating her ability to read people. And be kind about it to boot.

Carrying their finds into the house was a little like Christmas morning. He and Glen brought load after load in and the rest of the house gathered around Maggie and Ruby, eyes wide with surprise and excitement. Clothes were dumped in a large pile in the middle of the room, hands pawing at them from all sides as articles were claimed and carried away.

Ruby called Carol over and the older woman knelt by her as she dug through a couple cases and the bag she'd kept with her.

"I know it's silly, but I thought you might like these." Ruby said, pulling two bottles of perfume out and handing them to the pleased woman.

"My goodness, I haven't used this in ages. It'll be nice to smell like a woman again." Carol said with a smile.

Ruby grinned back. "You wouldn't believe the veggies we found either, they're in the kitchen. Salt, pepper, flour, and powdered milk, too."

Carol raised her eyebrows and pecked Ruby on the cheek as she left for the kitchen, a dress and a couple shirts in her hands, along with the perfume.

Maggie was getting some things for Glen to wear as Rick brought in the blue bins for Carl. The boy's eyes went wide as saucers as his dad brought them to the floor he sat on, under his mother's place on the couch. Lori hadn't moved, but Maggie had brought her some clothes and they sat next to her in a small pile.

"I think these will fit you fine." Rick said, holding a pair of pants up to the boy, but he was more interested in the toys underneath. "We can put these in your room in a minute."

"Thanks, Dad." Carl beamed at him and dove into the baskets. Rick turned around and looked for the baby clothes Ruby had told him about. She flicked her eyes to a bag near his feet when he looked at her and she could see a flash of gratitude as he picked it up and carried it over to Lori.

"They're for a boy, but they should work." He said, taking a seat on the other end of the couch and laying out the little sleepers and onesies Ruby had found. Lori picked them up and ran her fingers over the tiny articles, looking over again as he pulled a couple rattles and pacifiers in packages and put them down too. There was a little cardboard book with bugs in bright colors over the cover, and a large package of newborn diapers, too, and he had to hide his own surprise at that. Ruby hadn't told him exactly what she'd found.

Lori picked the things up gently, nodding her head. When she looked up, she had a strange, seemingly grateful look on her face. "This is perfect."

He gave her a small smile and nod, and went to help Carl get the bins up to his room. Ruby had kept her attention on the rest of the unpacking of the items, but she was glad Lori had been gracious about the whole thing. She saw the pregnant woman get up and gather the things she'd been given and move slowly up the stairs.

"This is great, huh? They're really happy." Maggie said to her, breaking her train of thought. Ruby grinned at her.

"You guys didn't have much, I knew it would go over well."

"No kidding. I didn't even have a razor before you gave me one. I thought I was gonna start a fire with the stubble on my legs."

Ruby snorted a little at that, tossing a bag over to her. "Don't have to worry about that now. Those people were stocked up. Even got lotion and conditioner."

They all parted, each taking their stuff to their respective rooms, shouts of thanks as they left. Ruby had a smile on her face as she gathered the remaining bags and things she had held over for herself. She put the empty suitcases in a line against the wall, keeping one for her own, and went back to her bedroom.

She hung and folded the clothes, putting them in the dresser, but saving a hanger for the blue dress Rick had seen. She smiled when she put it in the closet, tucking the other articles around it so as not to be seen quite yet. She took the electric razor and put it on the vanity next to the wash basin. If Rick went looking he'd know where to find it.

Rick helped his son put his new clothes away and sat down on the floor with him while he looked over the toys they'd brought. Lori came up shortly after and sat on the side of the bed, looking over the baby things quietly. Rick let her have her space, getting up to line the bins along the wall and out of the walking space.

"I thought we'd have to find a store or something later, this is a relief." She said after a while, looking over at him over Carl's head.

"We will, but this is a start." He said, leaning against the dresser and crossing his arms over his chest.

"What was that farm like? Should we move there?" She asked, holding a sleeper in her hands tightly.

He shook his head. "Too many windows, it would take days to secure. This house is good, easier to manage, and the garden is near enough."

She nodded, pursing her lips a little. The edge was back in her voice when she spoke again. "Well, thanks."

He frowned, but he was surprised the normal things that would come out of his mouth were strangely quiet. Things like 'Why are you thanking me like it was a favor?', or 'We should be doing this together, not you against the world.' Instead, he thought of the girl downstairs with long dark hair and sparkling eyes, a girl that wanted him to laugh again, joked with him, stood by his side when things got hairy. He nodded to Lori and left the room quietly, leaving her misguided silence to her alone. He was over it, and he wasn't angry anymore.


	10. Death by salt and water buckets

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC character, Ruby, however, and I adore her._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression. _

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I am a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little._

_Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

_***I don't really know how this happened, but I find I'm making the chapter involve a day at a time. Too much 24 watching, maybe? Lol, anyway, it might continue that way, might not, but it's just flowing that way and I'm going with it. These next two chapters were written at once, and I am seriously hanging everything on the line here. I hope hope hope you guys like them. Thanks for the love you've shown!_

He found Ruby in the kitchen with Carol, laughing at something the woman had said and a large bowl of green beans in her lap. She was cleaning and snapping them rapidly, and they both looked up when he came in.

"Rick, this is quite the spread! Ruby says there's more?" She said from her place at the sink, washing the vegetables.

"Plenty, and we'll go back when you need more." He said, taking a place at the table across from Ruby. He watched her work at the beans, a peaceful expression on her face.

"Ruby, I never asked what you like to eat." Carol said from behind him. "All this work you all did to bring us these things, I think you should get first choice of what we have for dinner."

Ruby grinned into the bowl as she worked. "I miss radishes, I love 'em. Really anything fresh is good by me, though, not from a can."

"I don't think we'll have to touch the cans for a while. Do you cook?" Carol asked, wiping her hands free of water on a kitchen towel. They'd found more of those, too, at the farmhouse, embroidered with delicate lavender flowers around the edges. It was unneeded fluff, but it was nice to have around.

"Lord, no. But I can microwave a mean bag of popcorn. You had to show me how to do _this_, Carol."

They laughed lightly between the three of them. A tour bus probably isn't the best place to learn culinary skills, Rick thought. Carol took a place next to him with a handful of radishes, a knife and a plate. She quickly cut a few in half and pushed them over to Ruby.

"Oh yum!" Ruby said excitedly. "Where's the salt?"

Carol pushed the shaker over to her as well and Ruby doused the plate. "You want some food with that?" Rick asked jokingly as she popped one half of a radish in her mouth.

"Bite your tongue, this is the only way to eat them." Ruby said, chewing. "Try it."

He took a piece and raised an eyebrow warily at her as he tossed it back. He started coughing at the amount of salt, grainy in his mouth, and he winced at her. "Delicious." He sputtered and the women laughed at him.

"I know, right?" She said sarcastically as he struggled to swallow.

"God, woman. I need water now." He went to the counter and put his whole face under the tap, drinking furiously. When he was done he wiped his mouth on his sleeve and grimaced. "How are you _doing_ that?"

She ate the last one and pushed the plate out in front of herself, laughing at him. "Guess I'm tougher than you."

"You gotta be." He came back and grabbed his seat.

"What's so funny?" Daryl opened the back door and looked at them curiously. "Could hear you out in the yard."

"Sorry." Carol said, but she kept the smile on her face as he came in and put his crossbow on the table before dunking his face under the tap. It was getting to be a routine for him, running water was a luxury they had missed.

"Ruby tried to kill me." Rick said as he crossed to a chair across from Carol, next to Ruby.

"How's that?" He cocked his head at Rick.

"I like salt." Ruby said, holding her hands up innocently and Daryl grunted.

"Whatever you say." He looked over at Rick. "Two cars passed us a while ago, didn't come back." Rick's face went from happy to concerned in a moment, and Carol and Ruby weren't far behind. "I made sure they didn't see me, don't worry. They didn't even know we were here." Daryl finished, his voice going a little higher.

"Good." Carol said softly, frowning into the wooden surface of the table. "You didn't have to say it before, we knew that's what happened last time. People just cause trouble."

"That's why we doctored up the front of the house, nobody's gonna think to stop here." Rick said, and when he saw Ruby's face go a little sad he knew it was the right thing to say to Carol, but the wrong choice for her. She got up and walked out of the room, Daryl and Carol's eyes on her back.

"What's wrong with her?" Daryl looked back at Rick, narrowing his eyes the way he did.

"The people she was with before, a guy named Paul and a woman, Sarah. She lost them a week before I found her, and she's afraid that, if they're still out there, they'll pass us by." Rick said, struggling with not getting up and going right after her.

"Poor thing." Carol said sadly.

Daryl grunted, the turning wheels in his head obvious. He stood up after a moment and left the room. Rick was about to follow when he re entered with a squarish piece of wood and a small can of paint. He brought it to the table and laid them down, pulling a pocketknife from his jeans. He pried the lid off and dipped his finger in the green paint. They watched closely as he wrote the names Paul and Sarah across the board.

Rick grinned, amused at the redneck's insight. Daryl looked down at his work when he finished and let out a breath before looking back up at them.

"We hang it on the road down the way a piece. If they're on the road, they'll see it. Just hope they're smart enough to stay put."

"That's good." Rick nodded at him with a grin and Carol retrieved a hammer and some nails from the counter.

"I'll go hang it." Daryl said and Rick held out a hand to stop him.

"We'll all go. I'll go get her."

He went to her bedroom quickly, finding Ruby busily going through a drawer in the bureau that had been gone through before. She was trying to distract herself, he saw the signs.

"Hey, come out here." He said, holding out his arm and she pressed her lips together but followed. He took her back to the kitchen and when she saw the sign, she frowned and looked up at him curiously.

"Daryl made it. We're gonna hang on the road, and if they see it, they'll stop."

"Won't that draw other people? Give us away?" She shook her head at him.

Daryl answered her question. "For all they know, it was put up months ago, they won't know to come here. People put these things up everywhere."

She grinned and looked at Daryl gratefully. Rick grabbed the hammer and nails and they walked behind him out the door and across the small lawn, into the trees.

"How far down are we going?" She asked as they reached the highway and Daryl shrugged.

"Just a little bit, but stay in the trees, keep your eyes open."

They got a few yards down and Daryl moved quietly to the road, leaving them just in the tree line. He found a good sized trunk and began hammering, tying to keep the noise to a minimum. Rick put a comforting hand on her shoulder as they watched him, pulling her a little closer and kissing her hair. She raised a hand and put in on his, holding his fingers tightly.

"You think it'll work?" She looked back at him hopefully.

"Yeah, if they come by. But it might take a while, I don't want to see you disappointed." He said, trying not to give her higher hopes than the ones she'd already given herself.

"I know. It's a long shot, but it's the best idea so far." She said, watching as Daryl finished and jogged back to them. She stepped forward and smiled at the man. "Thanks, Daryl."

He put his arm out as she leaned in to give him a hug, and he squeezed her back for a moment. "It's nothin'. I owed you, anyway. That whiskey's lookin' better and better."

She chuckled under her breath and fell back in line between the men as they walked back to the house. The heat of the day was intense and she wiped away a sheen of sweat that had formed on the back of her neck. The movement was so subtle, but something about the way her skin glistened reminded Rick of watching her rise out of the lake the first time he met her, and the fire in his gut raged a little higher. He licked his lips and focused on the grass under his feet, trying to put it in the back of his mind before his body gave everyone else an indication of what he was thinking.

The intense heat of the day had made the house stuffy, especially upstairs, and T-Dog was in the living room with Carol when they came back in. Beth, Maggie and Glen were laying across the chairs, fanning themselves with pieces of paper. Rick and Ruby took places on the floor on either side of the fireplace, loving the feel of the cool stone in the warm room. Rick was slightly surprised to see Daryl grab a place on the couch, he wasn't usually a social person and avoided groups like a disease.

"What are you up to?" Glen asked them lazily.

"Nothing much." Rick answered, bringing his knees up toward him.

"I miss the reservoir." T-Dog said, and Carol smiled wistfully.

"What reservoir?" Maggie asked curiously, looking to Glen.

"On the road, before we got to the farm. We camped up on a hill and there was a big old stone quarry. It was great."

"Nothing like that around here, if you don't count the lake you found me at." Ruby said, turning her eyes to Rick. "But that's pretty far away now."

He shrugged. "The garden had irrigation ditches. Had to come from somewhere."

"Probably a well like the one out back, but bigger." Daryl said from his slouching place near Carol.

"Shouldn't go wanderin' out there, if we don't have to." Rick said, but his voice didn't carry the weight of the words. He looked to T-Dog, then to Ruby, and they both started to grin at him. He chuckled and dropped his chin to his chest as he shook his head. "Plus, we gotta leave someone here, hold the place down. Wouldn't be fair."

"We could find out though, just a couple of us. Wouldn't be far." T-Dog reasoned lightly.

Maggie looked to Ruby, her eyes twinkling. Ruby bit her lip, looking back to Rick. She shrugged when he looked back to her. "It's up to you." She said and he raised his eyebrows, looking around the group.

"You feel up to it? It's been a big day already."

"Better than sitting here roasting to death." She answered.

"Not if we don't find anything." He countered. "I'll go out with Daryl tomorrow, see what's out there."

Maggie sighed. "Can we go outside then?"

"I'll keep watch." T-Dog said when Rick nodded.

"Just stay in back and if you hear anything, get back inside. Daryl can use the crossbow, keep the noise down."

Daryl stood and followed the others out to the kitchen, and as Carol got up to go to Rick spoke. "Carl and Lori upstairs?"

"They're napping. So is Hershel." She said and disappeared out the back door.

"Well," Ruby groaned, standing up slowly. "I'm going to shower. I'm all itchy now."

He grinned and watched her go to her room, and a minute later she reappeared at the stairs, a towel and clothes in her hands. She tipped her head at him and he sat there for a minute after she'd gone. When he heard the water kick on upstairs he stood up and went to his cot. He changed quickly into a dirt and sweat free tee shirt and looked down at the piles of clothes around the room. He bit his lip and looked back at her door. She didn't use all the drawers in her dresser and he was in there all the time anyway. She wouldn't mind if he borrowed one...

He'd finished and had grabbed a couple bottles of water from the kitchen, meeting her on the stairs when he heard her coming down.

"How was the shower?" He asked, handing her a bottle.

She took it with a smile. "Blessedly freezing." She stepped past him and around he corner to her room. She'd put a pair of white shorts on under a faded gray tank top, and they made her already tanned legs look even darker. The effect was very attractive and he had to pull his eyes up quickly when she looked back at him as she walked. "How did Carl like the toys?"

"He was over the moon. I bet he's faking taking a nap right now just to play with them." He said, grabbing a spot on the end of her bed as she went to the vanity and grabbed her brush. She came back to the bed and sat down, brushing out the long, wet strands.

"That's cool. Kids and toys, it's like peanut butter and jelly. He should have them."

"That why you brought Carol the perfume? Because she should have it?" He asked teasingly and she grinned.

"Pretty much. She's a real lady. Besides, she might want to wear it for someone." She said the last part with a fake innocence that made him laugh.

"Nothing gets by you, does it?"

"You let obvious stuff go over your head you end up letting the big stuff go too. Then you get bit." She said matter of factly. She amused him to no end.

She braided her hair tightly as they spoke, and he found himself mesmerized by the movement. "I invaded your space a little." He said after a moment.

"I don't have space to be invaded, none of us do." She chuckled. "But do tell."

"I took your bottom two drawers." He gestured back to the dresser and she raised an eyebrow at him.

"Seeing as you didn't actually take a room, I'd be one big bitch to deny you that." She wrapped the braid into a neat bun on the back of her head and secured it with pins, an amused look on her face. "You know, I know that it's silly stuff. Dresses and perfume, with everything going on out there."

"Why does it sound like you're defending the things we brought back?" He asked, leaning over on the bed and resting on his elbow. "It's not like you risked your life through a sea of walkers to get at a pair of shoes."

"Yeah, I know." She shrugged, matching his movements so she was facing him, her head on her head. "But I was thinking about it, and there's a big difference between taking something that's right there in front of you and going out blind to find something that might not even be there."

He looked a little confused. "What do you mean?"

"The talk about you going to find the lake or whatever. You're willing to just walk out there for something that we don't really, truly need. It was selfish of us to ask you to do that, and I'm taking it back."

He tilted his head at her. "You don't want me to go."

"No." She shook her head a little, her eyes going a little sad.

She was getting protective of him, he realized, and the thought sent shudders through his body. He reached out and traced her smooth jaw with his rough fingertips gently before he cupped her cheek and leaned forward, kissing her a lot more gently than he wanted to. But if he let those feelings free, he knew he wouldn't be able to stop. She seemed to sense that because she kissed him back just as softly, sweetly.

"You have no idea what it means that you're here with us. With me." He whispered when he pulled back. "I know it's... unusual, to say the least."

"The dead came back to life, Rick. I think the word 'unusual' loses a lot of it's meaning." She said and he chuckled softly. "What was your life like?"

"What's that?" He asked curiously, laying back on the bed and scooting closer to her, so he was looking up into her face, his hair brushing her elbow.

"Before you were a gun toting badass. What was your life life?" She grinned, looking down at him.

"I was still a gun toting badass." He said lightly and she chuckled but furrowed her brow in confusion. "I was a cop up in King's County."

"Is that near here?"

"Outside of Atlanta. You've never been? Quite the metropolis. I bet it'd give New York a run for it's money."

"Is that right?" She played along, laying back like he did, their heads touching, and he brought her hand up, holding it with both of his and tracing the outline of her fingers with his.

"Oh yeah. We had wild car chases with riding lawnmowers. People even drove away without paying for gas sometimes." He said it all with such solemn conviction she laughed out loud.

"Sounds exciting." She said as the laughter died away, watching as he inspected every inch of her hand and moved to the arm. The bruises had faded away but he rubbed the skin there gently anyway. "What else? Keep going."

"What else..." He mused. "I guess it was pretty standard. Little house with a fence, Carl liked school, and I bowled on the weekends. Boring, isn't it, compared with your life."

"You kidding? I think it sounds great. I lived out of a suitcase. Makes for good training out here, but I always wondered what that was like." She said as he rolled a little, his fingers tracing up to her shoulder now. He heard her breath catch a little as he flicked across her collarbone, and he enjoyed the closeness of the moment, and the way she bit her lip a little as he moved.

"You never had that? I don't believe that."

She took a deep breath, trying to focus on her words. He was making it difficult. "My mom moved us around a lot, she didn't have a lot of money, but she did the best she could. When she died and I went to Dad and Emily, he got me into the business pretty quick so we were traveling a lot. It was so different, you know? Going from little apartments with crappy furniture to hotel rooms and stages."

"You miss them." He said softly, and it wasn't a question.

"Yeah. My mom could sing, you wouldn't believe it. She should have been up there, not me. And Dad, he watched out for me like a lion. He was a good man. I hope he's ok, wherever he is."

He kissed her forehead as she finished, comforting her from the painful thoughts. She smiled and looked up at him. "What do you miss the most, from before?" She asked, changing the subject.

"At the moment, I can't think of anything." He looked her in the eyes, his tone suddenly a little deeper. The back door shut, they could hear it clearly and he sighed, taking his fingers away from the place where her neck meant her shoulder. She gave him a patient look and brushed his temple with her fingers, leaning up to put her lips against the short stubble on his cheek.

They got up together, and he couldn't help but squeeze her hip under his hand as they made their way to the door and left the room. He saw another cold shower in his future if this kept up.

Carol was in the kitchen when they got there and she smiled when she saw them. "Glen attacked Maggie with a bucket of water. I don't think he's long for this world." She said chuckling as she began to slice vegetables for dinner.

"She said she was hot, why's she mad?" Ruby asked, grabbing a slice of potato and taking a bite as she leaned against the counter.

"Oh she's not mad. But she ducked once and he got Daryl instead." The woman said with a twinkle in her eye, and Rick and Ruby moved quickly to the back door, looking out into the yard. They laughed when they saw Maggie doubled over laughing silently on the ground as Daryl circled Glen menacingly. The redneck was soaking wet, his hair falling over his eyes and pasted to his forehead.

"I better get out there before he actually does it." Rick chuckled and Ruby flashed her white teeth at him as he exited the door.

Ruby helped Carol set up the little grill on the counter. It had a little propane tank on the bottom and they figured it out together pretty quickly, and Carol put two little pots of water on to boil on the grate on top.

"I'm so glad we don't have to use the fire, this is much more handy." Carol said as they went back to chopping. She saw Ruby eat a slice of turnip and she chuckled. "Do you eat everything raw? I've never seen that."

Ruby grinned. "No. But I had a friend who was a raw foodist. Wouldn't cook _anything_. I couldn't watch her eat meat, but the fruits and vegetables kinda stuck with me. Glad it did, too, especially now."

"You adapt pretty well, don't you?" Carol asked as she worked. "You just take things as they come."

"Don't we all?" Ruby looked at her as she dumped a load of chopped potatoes in the now boiling water of one of the pots.

"I suppose. Some better than others." Carol said, and Ruby caught the glance she threw at the ceiling. Carol meant Lori, she realized, and she couldn't argue. "I haven't seen you get stressed over anything after that first night with us. You seemed frightened, but you got over it like that. I wish I could do that."

"If you and Maggie and the others hadn't been as good as you were, I wouldn't have." Ruby answered matter of factly and Carol smiled. "Hey, when was the last time you had mac and cheese?" Ruby asked, going to a bag on the table and pulling out two boxes and holding them up.

"We feed them like this very often, they'll get spoiled." Carol said, taking the boxes and ripping the tops open. The back door opened and a wet Maggie and Beth, sheepish Glen, and amused Rick filed through, followed by a semi-grumpy Daryl.

"You shoulda killed him." Ruby said to the dripping man with a stern look and he held a hand out to Rick, his eyes wide.

"I told you." He blurted out and Rick rubbed his forehead, stifling a grin.

"Not helping." He said and Ruby chuckled as Daryl chucked her shoulder and went out to the living room for a dry shirt.

Lori, Carl and Hershel came down a little bit later and everyone either crowded into the kitchen or took plates to the living room to eat. It was a laid back evening, something they all obviously needed to get used to again but enjoying immensely. When they were done Glen retrieved a pack of cards he and Maggie had found at the house and several of them gathered around the kitchen table to play, candles lit when the growing darkness outside made it difficult to see. Daryl sat at the front window in the dining room and watched the road, and Rick sat on the floor in the living room with Carl playing with a few toys the boy had brought down, Lori curled up on the end of the worn couch to watch.

Ruby helped Carol wash up and joined the card game. Glen was good, but Maggie was better and when she cleaned them all out of the candles, razors, toothbrushes and the things they used to bet with for the fourth time, T-Dog leaned back in his chair and let out a low whistle.

"She's been hustlin' us, man."

Maggie shook her head innocently. "It's not my fault you suck, man."

He laughed and sat back up toward the table. "Say that again, woman. Deal." He challenged and when Maggie grinned and tossed cards out again Ruby held her hand up.

"You finished me, Mags. I have to go find more toothpaste. You took all mine." She said with a smile and Maggie pushed the things she'd collected back across the table.

"Anytime you want me to take 'em again, come on back."

Hershel came to the door and raised an eyebrow at his daughter. "What did I tell you about gambling, Maggie?"

They expected her to look a little chagrined, but she just grinned. "Clean up and walk away."

"That's right. Now let me show them how it's done." He took Ruby's vacant chair as she gathered her things, laughing with the others.

"Damn..." T-Dog said in a low voice, his eyes filled with a new appreciation for the old man.

When Ruby returned from her room after putting her things away, she wondered briefly if she should have stayed in there. Going out to the living room to sit in awkward silence with Lori and Rick was less than an appealing thought, so she grabbed a chair from the dining room and turned it backward, sitting down against the back near Daryl.

She put her chin on the top rung and looked out into the moonlit night over his shoulder. "You want me to watch for a while?"

"Nah." He shook his head, leaning back in his chair. "I'm good."

"You could play cards with the rest of them."

"He answered her question with another. "I told you ain't never heard anybody else sing that song. Where'r you from?" He slid his eyes over to her, the shadows making his eyes all but disappear.

"I was born in Tennessee. Little place called Soddy-Daisy." She answered and he looked at her in surprise. "You heard of it?"

"Hell yeah, been there once with my pa." He said. "I figured you were country, but damn."

"You did, huh?" She grinned. "What about you."

"Right outside of Chatsworth, back in the hills." He said, his eyes going back to the yard outside. "My brother and me."

She nodded, sensing it was a sore subject. "You know, when I got adopted they took me to New York. I didn't eat anything for a week, they were giving me sushi and crap. All I wanted were my Momma's biscuits and gravy." She chuckled at the memory. "When all this happened and I got deer again I thought I'd gone home."

He grinned, unusual for him she knew. "I guess you did. Look where we are."

"Maybe if I'd stayed I'd have learned to hunt. Skin, cook. Would be helpful, but carol teaching me a few things."

"I saw you use that knife, you're not bad. And you didn't whine about it after, just did what you had to do." He shook his head at her. "I ain't seen you shoot yet, though. You might be crap."

She chuckled. "You might think so, but it's a hell of a lot better than the first time I picked a gun up. That crossbow of yours, though. That looks fun."

"Fun?" He acted offended. "That's a finely crafted piece of weaponry, girl." She held up a hand, excusing herself, but saw the hint of a tiny smile start at the corner of his mouth. "But yeah, it's pretty damn fun."

She chuckled softly and he glanced over at her. "You wanna learn how to use it?"

She opened her eyes wide. "Carol said nobody touches it but you."

He narrowed his eyes. "You plannin on breakin it?"

"No."

"Fine. You wanna learn or not?"

"Yeah, I do." She nodded, amused with him.

"In the mornin', then. But you gotta replace any arrows you break, you got it?"

"How do I do that?"

"I'll show you. You better get to bed, I don't want ya half asleep out there."

She gave him a salute and got up, putting the chair back at the table and went to the kitchen for a bottle of water.

When Rick got up to walk Carl back up to the bedroom, his arms full of the toys the boy had brought back and Lori right behind them, he saw Ruby and Daryl at the window talking quietly. He hadn't realized she'd come back from her room, and he was a little surprised to see Daryl grin at her. The man didn't grin at anyone.

Beth hadn't followed right away, leaving Rick, Carl and Lori alone. He put the things he carried into a bin against the wall as Carl climbed into the bed next to his mother. Being the second floor, and the fact that the room faced out over the backyard, Rick pushed the black coverings back and opened the window. A cool breeze blew through the warm room, and he wished he could do the same for Ruby downstairs.

Lori extinguished the candle she'd brought up and settled back against the pillows, the moonlight lighting the room enough for Rick to still be able to move around. He went over to Carl and kissed the top of his head.

"How you feelin'?" He asked Lori as he stood back up.

"Fine." She answered shortly. Her tone hadn't taken the bitter, angry edge back yet, but the short answers she gave didn't invite more conversation either. Not that he really wanted it. She turned over and he left the room for the stairs, passing Beth and Hershel on the way down.

"Night." He said and they waved. He could hear Maggie laughing in the kitchen as they finished up their game, chairs sliding across the floor. Daryl had moved to the living room to keep watch, laying sideways across the now empty couch, and Ruby was no where in sight. Rick went to the kitchen for a bottle of water and to make sure the back door was secured. He said goodnight to Maggie and Glen as he headed back to the dining room.

He knocked lightly on Ruby's door and opened it, poking his head around. She was washing her face at the wash basin, and he came in, closing the door behind him.

"I'm going to see about trying to find a way to open that window tomorrow." He said as he went to the dresser and opened the bottom drawer. He pulled out a shirt and tossed it on the bed, stripping the one he wore off. She patted her face dry with a hand towel, looking at him interestedly.

"Yeah?" She asked as he came up behind her, looking at her in the mirror, his hands moving up to her shoulders to knead the delicate muscles there lightly.

He nodded. "We can put boards across it instead of the door, maybe open it from the top. If it's a walker, we'll hear it, and it can't get in anyway, and if it's people, whoever's keeping watch out front will see them coming."

"That would be great. It's so hot in here."

"So hot?" He teased remembering her singing with Maggie in the kitchen of the farmhouse up the road. She grinned at him in the mirror and dropped the towel she held.

"Just about there." She answered lightly. He gave her a cheeky look and his eyes landed on the electric razor she'd found for him. He reached around her and picked it up, flicking it on. It buzzed to life and he put it up to his face, feeling it cut at the stubble there easily. She moved out from under him, brushing her shoulder off and he chuckled as she went back to the bed and flopped across it tiredly.

"What were you and Daryl talking about?" He asked, his eyes flicking to her in the mirror. He hoped he didn't sound jealous, he really wasn't. He didn't feel threatened by the redneck, and luckily she didn't seem to take it that way.

She chuckled and raised her head toward him. "He's going to show me how to shoot tomorrow morning."

He frowned. "We can't go out far enough to stop the noise from attracting attention."

"No, his crossbow." She clarified, moving on the bed so her head was against the pillows.

His eyebrows nearly met his hairline, he was so surprised. He shut the razor off and turned around. "You're kidding me."

"Guess he _really_ liked that whiskey." She shrugged. "It's good though, having more people that can use it, I guess."

"More? He won't let anybody touch that thing." He said, amusement overtaking him. He'd seen the brotherly attitude the man had taken toward her, he just hadn't realized she'd made that big an impact.

"I kind of get the impression that if I break it, he's gonna kill me though." She said with a wince. "I'm really starting to relate excitement to mind numbing fear. You think that's normal?"

He laughed and turned back around, finishing his face quickly and putting the razor back on the vanity. He ignored his new shirt on the bed and came to sit next to her, much like they had that afternoon. It had long ago become his favorite place to be.

"I don't think you have to worry about that." He said, looking up at her. She yawned and moved down a little in the bed, snuggling in against him despite the heat.

"We'll see, won't we?" She said jokingly and closed her eyes. He draped his bare arm over her and put his chin against her forehead. In a little while her breathing turned deep and even, and he smiled a little to himself. He stayed longer than before, unable to bring himself to stop holding her, but when he felt his own fatigue slowly take over, he made himself go to his own cot.


	11. Bittersweet

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC character, Ruby, however, and I adore her._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression. _

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I am a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little._

_Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

_*** Get ready folks, a BIG point of contention is going to be discussed. Hope you like how I resolved it. Much love!_

"Loosen your arm up." Daryl stood beside Ruby in the backyard, and bumped her arm firmly with his palm. "You hold so hard it's gonna jerk and you'll miss."

It was the third time he'd told her that, and she frowned, trying hard to follow his directions. She shook her arm a little, gripping the crossbow in her hand, finger on the trigger. It was heavier than she anticipated, and she missed the first two times, arrows digging into the ground beyond harmlessly.

She fired again, grazing the bottom of the target and making the arrow tumble to the ground. "Better." He said, surprising her a little. He was actually a very patient teacher. "Try again."

The sun above was glaring down on her, making it hard to really aim for the stuffed shirt he'd set up to hang from a tree several yards away. When she hesitated and didn't fire he looked down at her. "Here, try this." He said, leaning down and grabbing a handful of dirt from the ground. He smushed it between his palms, and came around in front of her as she lowered the bow. She almost chuckled when he smeared his thumb underneath both her eyes, on the top of her cheeks, and she wondered for a moment if she was supposed to tackle the target now instead of shoot it.

She did laugh a little at the thought, and he shrugged. "It works. Now go again. Aim for the middle."

Rick and Carol sat side by side on the steps of the back porch, watching the two of them work.

"I still can't believe it." Rick shook his head in wonder and Carol smiled.

"He's temperamental, but he's a good man."

"I know he is." Rick said quickly. He'd long ago learned to trust the man with his own, and Carl's, lives. T-Dog came to the door quietly.

"He snap yet?" He asked, only half joking. Maggie and Glen were behind them, even Carl had been released from his mother's grasp into Maggie's capable hands for a while. They all stared out as Daryl moved around Ruby, occasionally putting his hand on her shoulder to guide her, or jogging out to retrieve the arrows she'd fired.

"He hasn't even raised his voice." Carol responded, a small but secretly, proud smile on her face.

Ruby fired again and this time she landed the arrow in the middle of the target and she grinned widely. With the dark streaks of dirt across her cheeks and the rosy glow of satisfaction she wore, she looked absolutely adorable. Daryl looked pleased, but he was well aware of their audience and didn't show it too much as he went and retrieved the arrows again. Still, when he got back to her side and said 'Again', he bumped her with his elbow proudly.

She kept the streak going. Sometimes her arrow would go a little left, sometimes a little right, but she got a feel for the weapon and her aim was true, hitting the target several times in a row. With her snug jeans, black tank, and pulled back hair, she looked like a natural, deadly even.

"I think you got it, girl." Daryl stood back finally and put his hands on his hips. Ruby walked out to help him gather the last of the arrows and take down the target, and when she turned around toward the house, she caught a glimpse of Lori in the window above. The woman left the glass quickly and Ruby brushed it off as simple curiosity, the same as the gaggle of people who had gathered at the back door to watch.

"She's not bad. But I'd like to see her with that Glock she carries." Daryl said to Rick as they got back to the house.

"What about that arrow I broke?" Ruby reminded him as she returned Rick's smile of approval.

Daryl nodded. "In a bit. Get some water." He walked off toward the trees, a little uncomfortable being at least part of the center of attention.

T-Dog shook his head at her, chuckling a little. "You got some kinda way, Ruby." Maggie flashed a bright smile at her and she, Glen and T-Dog passed them, going out into the yard.

Ruby washed the dirt from her face in the sink, and filled a nearby empty bottle with water. She sat down across from Rick at the kitchen table and grabbed an apple, taking a couple big bites quickly. She glanced over at Carol's back at the sink and turned her eyes back to Rick. She held up a finger to the ceiling and then two at her own eyes. He understood immediately, and was not surprised. Lori had been watching.

"Hey Dad, you think Daryl will teach me to do that?" Carl asked, leaving the doorway to come to the table, drawing both their attention.

"I don't think so, not yet. It's pretty heavy." Rick said, putting a fatherly hand on the boy's shoulder. He frowned but nodded, looking over at Ruby. "You were pretty good."

She grinned. "Thanks, Carl."

Carol called to the boy from the sink. "Hey Carl, you want to help me get get lunch together?"

"Sure." He said, joining her at the sink and Rick and Ruby joined the others back outside.

They spent the afternoon largely apart. Rick with T-Dog working on things around the house, and when they called Glen for a hand, Maggie and Ruby sat under the large tree in the middle of the backyard, talking and laughing with each other. Bath joined them shortly, and Rick watched the three girls for a moment from an upstairs window, smiling a little to himself at the girls just being girls for a while. It was good to see. But he did check to see that Daryl was nearby, watching over them before he left.

He was in Ruby's room with T-Dog when he heard Hershel call out harshly, and he dropped the board he'd been holding and raced out of the room.

"Coming through the trees, Rick. A lot of them." The old man said, checking the rifle he had in his hands.

Rick pointed to Glen as he moved to the window. "Get them inside, now! Where's Carl?"

"He's here." Carol said from the door to the kitchen, Carl in front of her and a worried look on her face.

"Upstairs, T, use the windows. Hershel, you stay here, make sure they stay together." He sent out orders but had to stop himself from running straight to Ruby's side. He hadn't seen her yet, and was about to do just that when she darted into the living room, followed by Beth and Maggie. Lori was scurrying down the stairs, but he looked past her unconsciously to Ruby. She grabbed the gun from her waist and met his eyes for a moment before running up the stairs after him. T-Dog and Glen went to the left, he and Ruby to the right, to the small bedroom Hershel had claimed. Rick threw the window open and pushed the screen out, making a place for them to fire. She got down on one knee next to him and they looked out over the half dozen or so walkers that had passed the tree line into the yard.

"Watch out for Daryl." He said and her eyes moved to the man in stalking position, coming around the side of the house. When the milky white eyes of the walkers saw him the groans became louder and they moved faster. But just then, gunshots began to ring out, and Rick and Ruby joined them. The two of them were closer to Daryl, and they dropped the walkers closer to him that he hadn't gotten yet. After the first few were down, Rick noticed that if Ruby was good with the crossbow, she was even better with the gun. She was only off the mark once, hitting a walker in the neck and sending it flailing back before correcting herself and hitting it in the temple. His adrenaline was flowing, but he took a moment to appreciate it as he fired on his own targets.

Several more had filtered through the trees, but they dropped them quickly, and the sound of gunshots faded in the late afternoon air. Daryl started to remove his arrows from the walkers below as Rick leaned back and shouted out to T-Dog in the other room. "Stay in there for a while, T, Glen. In case more come."

"You got it." Came T-Dog deep voice and Rick let out a deep breath, looking over at Ruby. He was so glad to come out of the experience and have her sitting safely by his side he actually laughed softly, out loud.

She looked at him with wide eyes. "Did I miss something?"

He put his gun in his other hand and put his palm against her cheek, running his thumb over her skin. "You're a good shot."

She took a deep breath. "I'd be nice if I didn't have to demonstrate that twice in one day."

He laughed a little louder and saw Daryl glance up at them from the yard. He squeezed Ruby's neck gently and stood. "Come on, let's go check on the others."

Lori was on the couch with Carl tightly under her arm, Maggie and Beth close to their father, and Carol stood between them all with her fingers tightly intertwined in front of her.

"Just some walkers, making their way through the trees. It's going to happen, we knew that." He said as reassuringly as he was capable. "But look, we proved we did pretty good here. We got them before they even got close to the house, everybody's fine."

Carol unknotted her hands and gave him and tentative smile. "He's right. They got closer to us on the farm than they did here."

He nodded and held out a hand toward her. "Exactly. Now, you guys stay inside the rest of the day, the noise might have drawn attention. Maggie, why don't you go up to Glen, send T down to help clear the yard."

She nodded and went to the stairs, jogging up them quickly. Ruby leaned against the doorway to the living room and watched as Rick went to Carl. "You ok?" He asked.

He boy nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine." Rick nodded and met Lori's narrowed gaze as it went from Ruby back to him. He ignored it, walking to the back door, and when Ruby followed him he didn't stop her.

"It was good, you know. The way we stopped them. But why did they come in the first place?" She asked him as they walked around the house.

"No reason, most likely." He said, looking down at her with a confident look. "They walk. They're walkers."

"You're so funny, I think I might die." She said flatly, raising her eyebrow, and they came around the corner just as Daryl raised his bow and hit a straggler in the forehead.

"Still comin?" Rick asked as they got close, his eyes going to the trees and unconsciously stepping closer to Ruby.

"One or two, probably be a couple more 'for it's over. Must have been movin' through in a bigger group than usual." Daryl said, wiping the retrieved arrow on his jeans.

T-Dog jogged up to them then and Daryl looked out toward the road. "I'm gonna check the road again."

Ruby looked up quickly. "You going to the sign?"

Daryl looked back at her, then up at the sky. The sun still had a good couple hours before setting. "I'll bring 'em back if they're there."

She gave him a grateful smile and watched him walk away. Rick and T-Dog tossed a body in the woods and walked back toward her. She stood watch while they worked, wishing Daryl would reappear immediately, her friends in tow. But Rick and T finished before he did, and Rick led her back to the house, noticing her head turning back frequently as they walked away.

The house was quieter than usual, but activity was much the same. Carl had brought some of his toys down again and played in the living room while Lori and Beth moved around the kitchen with Carol. Rick saw Ruby move past the women swiftly and take a place in the living room window to watch for Daryl's return. Lori gestured for him to follow her, and he sighed as he walked to the stairs after her.

"Why don't you just go ahead and say it?" She turned on him as soon as the door to her and Carl's room closed. He raised his eyebrows at her, his hands going to his hips as he waited for her to clarify. She let out an aggravated breath and pointed to the floor. "That girl, Rick. You know what I'm talking about."

"You really want to do this now?"

"Well, I guess I could go on pretending like I don't know. Would you like that better? Make you happy if I did that?"

He felt a strange calm come over him suddenly. He'd always thought things happened for a reason, maybe that applied here. He walked over to the cot beth used and took a seat, his elbows resting on his knees. "Get it out, Lori."

She faltered, her face falling a little. She'd expected him to fight back, he knew that, not this calmness he was showing. The slight surprise was covered quickly by a renewed anger. "It is so disrespectful, so damn cocky of you to parade her around like that in front of me. What do you think Carl is learning from this? What the others must think, you sleeping right outside her door, watching her hang on you and Daryl."

He looked a little amused at that and she practically turned tomato red. "Hangs on us?"

"What is so funny? You saw her out there today. You must have, you never leave her alone."

"Lori, sit down." He said gently and that surprised look returned again. He gestured to the bed when she didn't move. "You don't need to be getting this worked up, ok? Sit down."

She did as he requested, and he sighed. "I want you to listen to me. I know you want to blame Ruby, but you know as well as I do that this started a long time before she came along. Maybe even before all of this started. You remember that fight we had the night before I got shot?"

She nodded, not knowing what to do with this man, so much like the old Rick. "I didn't think about anything else the whole time you were in a coma." Her voice was soft.

"It wasn't the first one. How many nights did I sleep on that couch downstairs? You'd shut that door and I'd never knew how long I'd be down there. One day? Three?"

She opened her mouth to interrupt and he held up a hand. "It wasn't all your fault, Lori. I'm not saying that. I messed up, I know that. But I was never unfaithful to you, or Carl. We both did our best and we still ended up like that- me on the couch, you cryin' upstairs in bed. It wasn't right, you know?"

She nodded, and stayed uncharacteristically silent as he continued. He wasn't raising his voice, he was reasonable, working through his words carefully, and for her to fight back would just prove what he was saying to be true, he knew she knew that.

"I can't thank Shane enough for getting' you and Carl out, and keeping you safe. And what you two did, I told you before that I understood. You thought I was dead and he was there for you when I couldn't be. And that's what I want you to remember, you didn't do anything wrong."

Tears welled up in her eyes, and he felt his heart jerk a little. He'd always hated to see her cry. He moved to the bed next to her and put his arm around her shoulders comfortingly.

"When you got out of that truck and I saw you..." She sniffed, wiping her nose with the palm of her hand. "I never felt so happy in my life."

"I know, me too. But it didn't change that the space between us was already there, and everything after was just driving that wedge deeper. Can you admit to me, and I'll understand it, that you didn't have feelings for Shane after? You didn't act on them, I know that. I know you told me everything, and you told him it was over, but in your heart can you really say it was over?"

"I don't know." She sounded defeated, and shook her head. "It all happened so fast, we were always running, scared. It changes you."

"Yeah, it does." He said. "It stopped you for really seeing what he was turning into. He didn't show you that face, the one that I saw when we almost killed each other outside that school, or when he took me out into that field to kill me. And you know what? It stopped me, too, I didn't want to believe that this man that had stood by my side every time I needed it, my brother, was going _so_ wrong. Even now, I still stop and wonder what I could have done different, how I let him and you down."

"You didn't." She looked up at him, her lips pressed tightly together. "I should have told you that, but I was so mad. At him, at you."

"So was I. It shouldn't have happened, but none of this should be happening. I shouldn't have to board up windows and keep a gun on my side just to make sure the people I care about live to wake up the next morning. But that's where we are."

"I loved him." She said and he paused, not at the confession itself but at the fact she was finally brave enough to admit it.

He kissed her hair comfortingly. "I know. So did I. Still do. But we can't keep doing this to each other. It's not fair to us, and it sure as hell isn't fair to Carl. We got to look at the situation and start doing what we need to do, not what we think we should be expected to do."

She nodded and wiped her face free of tears that had already stopped falling. She took a deep breath and sat back, running her palms over her jeans as she looked back at him with a resigned face.

"So what do we do now?"

"Mostly what we've been doing. Stay alive. Keep Carl safe, try and make him happy, and find a place where we can start over. Maybe it's here, maybe not, I don't know. But it's going to go a lot further if we start working together again. I'm not goin' anywhere, Lori. I'm right by your side through this pregnancy, don't you worry about that. This is Shane's baby, you know that well as I do, and that just means I gotta take extra special care of him. His dad was a good man."

She let out a ragged breath, they'd always talked like it wasn't Shane's, never wanted to admit the dates made sense. Fresh tears spilled out over her cheeks and he smiled, wiping them away.

"I'm sorry." She said, her voice a little clearer, stronger. "This never was about Ruby, was it?"

He shrugged and winced a little. "I was mad at first, probably wanted to make you make you a little mad."

"It worked." She let out a laugh, thick through her tears.

"I'm sorry about that. But that's not what it's about now. Hasn't been for a while, as weird as that sounds. Feel like a lot longer than a week since we've been here, doesn't it?"

She nodded and he smiled briefly. "Anyway, I'm not trying to be disrespectful to you, but I can't hide it either. I don't know how she feels, and I haven't really asked. Hell, that sign might work and her friends will show up and all we'll see is tail lights, but this talk was goin' to happen anyway."

"I think you're right." She said, straightening up a little. "You know, there's something I never told you."

"What?" He asked, tilting his head a little to the side.

"Right before you got shot, that morning, I actually called a divorce lawyer and set a meeting up. I don't know if I was serious or just pissed, but when I got the call about you, I felt so damn guilty. I sat there by your bed and couldn't stop thinking about what I bitch I was."

"Don't think about that anymore. I don't blame you. You were braver than me." He said simply and she smiled sadly. She looked down at her hand, and the gold band on her finger glittered in the dim light. She sighed and slipped it off, holding it out between them. He worked his own band off, thinking about how she had worn it around her neck when she thought he was dead. Bittersweet didn't begin to cover the moment. He put it on her palm as well and she reached over to the nightstand, letting out a deep breath as she put them carefully inside and shut the drawer. He pulled her into a tight hug and held her there for a while, letting the intensity of the moment sink in for both of them. There would always be love there, a shared understanding and a series of shared moments and memories that would just be theirs, but a page was turning, and they had finally accepted it.


	12. Reunion

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC character, Ruby, however, and I adore her._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression._

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I am a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little._

_Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

_*** Get ready folks, a BIG point of contention is going to be discussed. Hope you like how I resolved it. Much love!_

_**** The reviews have been OUTSTANDING! Thank you all so much for taking the time. I am so so sorry it's taken so long to update, hopefully this makes up for that in a small way. It's been nuts around here for me lately. Anyway, thank you again, and I appreciate your time and kind words._

It was obvious that something was going on upstairs, and Carol did her best to occupy Carl while Rick and Lori were alone. Daryl came back and grabbed a spot next to Ruby on the couch. She didn't lament the fact that he was alone, she just gave him a grin to let him know she was glad he was back safely, and Maggie helped serve dinner. They were more than half done, chatting quietly around the table, Daryl and Ruby staying on the couch to watch for more walkers, plates in hand, as Rick came down first. When Lori was right behind him, and leaned down to give Carl a kiss at the table, their faces held none of the anger they usually did after their encounters, and the house seemed to let out a collectively held breath. They were either going to figure it out or kill each other, they figured. At least this wasn't bloody.

Rick grabbed a plate and came to sit across from them in the living room, his face calm, almost peaceful. Daryl narrowed his eyes at him, obviously trying to read him. The man didn't miss much, and Rick expected it, but what he didn't expect was no reaction from Ruby at all. He wondered if she would notice his ring was gone, but she just swallowed the bite she was chewing and gestured out toward the yard.

"Looks like we got lucky. Been quiet out there."

Daryl scoffed lightly. "For now. Our luck is won't last the night."

She tilted her head at him, raising an eyebrow. "We need to work on your positivity level."

"No we don't." He said simply. "I'm _positive_ it ain't gonna last."

She grinned and looked at Rick, rolling her eyes and he chuckled as he took a bite of his dinner.

"Hey Rick?" T-Dog came around them and jerked his head toward the dining room. "You got a sec?"

"Yeah." Rick put his plate down on the coffee table and followed the broad shouldered man. T turned and waited till Rick was right behind him before he ducked into Ruby's room quietly.

"Finished it when you were upstairs. What do you think?" He asked, going to the window. He had nailed boards tightly across the window, leaving four inch spaces between them, and a six inch space where the window would stop when it was left open. The top was sealed a lot tighter, and nothing was coming through without a hell of a fight. "And look. I tied this cord to the brackets on the bottom on both sides so she can raise it easier." He finished, holding the thin rope left hanging over the top and pulling up. The window slid open behind the boards and the cooler night air immediately began circulating in the room.

"How'd you do this? I didn't hear you hammering." Rick asked, his eyes surprised and impressed.

T shrugged. "You were busy and Daryl kept Ruby away. I can be quiet when I need to be."

Rick chuckled and pulled at the boards. They were solid, and didn't move a centimeter under his hands. "Thanks, she's gonna love this."

T-Dog grinned. "When you want to close it you just push it back down. The lock still works." He leaned back and put his hands in his pockets, his eyes going tentatively over to Rick again. "You did it, didn't you?"

"Is it obvious?" Rick asked, genuinely curious.

"She not screaming or crying, so I figured you either got back together or you got a break up line that I have GOT to learn."

Rick shook his head. "Just told her the truth. Got her to admit it to herself. Had to happen sooner or later, you pretty much told me that."

T-Dog didn't push, it wasn't really his business despite his unwarranted advice from before. He smacked Rick on the arm with an open hand, winked and left the room.

"Hey Ruby." He said a little louder than he had to from just outside the door, alerting Rick to her incoming presence and Rick let a low chuckle escape his lips. She came in, but she was looking back at T-Dog with a confused expression.

"What's up with T?" She asked, turning to look at Rick and a smile broke out across her face when she saw the window. "Did you really get it to open?"

He pulled up on the ropes and when she felt the air blow in she gave an excited hiss of victory. "Oh god, that's fabulous. You guys are freakin' awesome."

She came to stand in front of it, enjoying the breeze and he pulled on her braid gently. "Glad you like it, but it was all T. And Daryl for distracting you while he did it."

"Is that what he was doing? Here I thought he was just _really_ into boy bands all of a sudden. I was getting worried." She said with a wide eyed but false innocence and Rick let a sharp burst of muffled laughter. "Seriously, though. Thank you." He moved his hand to the back of her neck and squeezed, his eyes never leaving hers, and she put a hand on his arm affectionately. "I want to thank the guys."

He nodded and shut the window while they were out of the room. No sense in taking unnecessary risks, he figured, and when he got back to the living room she was just pulling away from giving T-Dog a hug as he headed upstairs. She went to take her seat by Daryl again and was speaking quietly to him, a grin on her face, when Carl came up to him.

"Night." The boy said, smiling up at him and Rick got down and gave him a hug, his eyes going up to Lori behind him. She nodded peacefully at him and led the child upstairs. Rick went to back door and double checked it again, made sure Maggie and Glen would be keeping watch that night, and when he went back to the living room Daryl was laying across the couch, his arm over his face and the candles out.

"Hey." He said when he got back to Ruby's room. She had the bed moved halfway across the room and was struggling to turn it around so the head of the bed was closer to the window. "Let me do that." He said quickly and went to help. She paused while he pushed the small dresser down the wall to make room and together they finished shifting the bed to where she wanted it, making sure to leave a good arm's length between them and the space.

"Looks weird, but it's gonna feel amazing." She said, standing back and grinning. Going to the dresser, she dug around and pulled out a couple things. "I'm gonna get a shower."

She smiled at him as she left, and he got his own clothes out of the dresser. He found a softer pair of pants, worn from age and washing, and changed out of his dirty clothes quickly. He shaved in her mirror, loving the new regularity of the routine, and he was waiting for her when she came back.

"Feel better?" He asked, and she nodded as she dropped her dirty clothes next to his on the floor.

"I'm blissful that we have running water, don't think I'm not. And the cold doesn't bother me now, but if we're still here in December we might need to rethink that." She said lightly, brushing her hair out in the mirror. She tied it up in a knot on her head and came to lay on her stomach next to him, her face turned toward the window.

He waited for her to ask about what happened between he and Lori, but she never did. He sat there next to her silently for a few moments, brushing his fingers through the damp strands of her hair against her head.

"I'm staying here tonight." He finally said softly and she turned her face toward him, watching him closely, but with no expectation in her face. "Is that ok?"

"You tell me." She answered, almost a whisper. He pressed his lips together and took her hand in his, bringing it to his chest and holding it there with his left hand. Her eyes finally fell on his empty ring finger and she looked up at him quickly.

"Everything's ok." He said simply, and she nodded. She didn't need the details, she trusted him enough to know she was being told the truth, and she moved so her head rested on his chest, and he wrapped his arms around her. Both of them had too much respect for what had ended to do anything more that night.

Lori's routine, what they saw of it, didn't change much. But, as they saw the next morning, her attitude seemed to have improved a bit. She didn't shoot glaring darts at anyone anymore but they also didn't give her a reason to. The focus had been on how to fill their afternoons without sitting and waiting for the next attack, getting increasingly frazzled nerves in the process. In fact, when Daryl spotted another car passing by later the next afternoon he quietly told Rick about it only, and spent the rest of the day in the woods around the house.

As for Rick, he spent his time between watching the trees closely, wondering how inappropriate it would be to pick Ruby up and carry her away in front of everyone. He shielded his eyes from the late afternoon sun for the millionth time as he looked out toward the front left of the house, watching Ruby and Daryl gathering sticks for arrows, her bright grin as he scowled as something as contradictory as anything yet strangely fitting. Rick hadn't wanted to crowd them, Daryl didn't seem to mind having Ruby around provided she didn't come with an entourage. So when she shot Rick a look that told him she'd be fine earlier and went off with the redneck, he took a careful watch by the house and tried not to be too obvious about it. It must have worked because they started walking back soon, and she still held a smile along with the handful of small branches she carried.

"Find anything good?" Rick asked casually, standing from the front stoop of the house.

"Guess we'll find out. Gonna show her how to sharpen 'em right, just hope she don't go and cut her finger off." Daryl said grumpily, but the emotion didn't carry to his eyes. He gave her a little smirk and walked off around the house before them. Rick put his hand on her lower back as he led her along with him.

"Why do you like hangin' out with him so much?" He asked lightly and she grinned.

"What? You think his joy is overwhelming, don't you? I can see that."

He chuckled. "That's never been the problem."

"He doesn't feel like he needs to apologize for himself. It was a rare thing to find even before all this happened." She continued, her voice falling softly as they rounded to the back of the house and she saw Daryl sitting on a stump nearby, a branch and his knife in hand. Rick pressed his hand a little further into her back, unaware he was even doing so. Hearing her respect for the redneck had inspired a twinge of jealousy in him, he wanted to hear her say such things about him. She looked up at him and smiled a little before stepping away, and he stopped his broad gait, watching her go.

"Rick! Somebody's coming!" He heard Glenn before he saw the young man's head come out of a window above him, and instantly his body was alive. Daryl's head snapped up and he was jogging toward them, Ruby right behind him, as Rick turned and looked around the house.

There was a large blue truck coming down the road toward the house and he ducked back, looking back at Daryl and Ruby. The man was standing behind Rick, Ruby behind him, and both of them were looking at him for direction, though their weapons were drawn.

"Back inside. Where's Carl?" He rushed them back toward the back door, Carol just inside when he shut the door behind them.

"He's with Lori upstairs." She said and the three of them rushed to the front windows as a door shut outside. The truck, he realized, and he swept Ruby behind him as he peered out through out the slats in the window. There was a tall man, rugged and harsh looking, his clothes tight against his bulging muscles in his chest and arms. He was young, but had obviously been through a lot- he looked road weary and his eyes were narrowed warily.

"What is it?" Maggie hissed from the stairs and Ruby went to her quickly, her hand leaving Rick's grasp where he had taken it as soon as they had entered the house. They whispered softly to each other for a moment before looking back at Rick's back nervously. He put a hand out to calm them as he watched the man take in the front of the house carefully. The big guy let out a deep breath, obviously frustrated at seeing the seemingly abandoned property, and his shoulders fell a little. He started walking back to the truck, but stopped as he reached the hood. He frowned and looked back at the house a last time and let out a low whistle, a short sing song that sounded strange coming out of his large body.

Rick heard Ruby let out a sharp gasp and he saw her eyes go larger then he'd ever seen before. She raced from Maggie's side to the window and he caught her right as before she hit the boards with full force, pulling her against him as she pressed her face against the slats.

"Oh god." She said in a low voice, and she whistled herself, almost an answer to the one the man outside had done. His head whipped around from the truck, the surprise on his face obvious.

"Starlet?" He spoke loudly, but questioningly, like he didn't believe he had actually heard anything at all.

Ruby broke free of Rick's grasp and raced for the back door, and Daryl caught her as she got there. She pushed back on his arms, looking up at him and Rick frantically. "It's Paul!"

"Let her go, but watch for walkers." Rick said and she gave him a grateful look as she threw the door open and ran into the sunlight. They followed her around the house, never more than two steps behind her as they rounded to the front of the building and the truck came into view. Paul's face went almost slack with relief when he saw her and she threw herself into his arms. He picked her up and twirled her around, a huge smile on his face making him appear years younger. Rick and Daryl stopped a few steps away and watched the exchange nervously. New people, especially ones as large and rough looking as this one, were almost never a good idea. And that wasn't even mentioning the ripped apart feeling Rick was getting in his stomach watching the man embrace his Ruby.

"Starlet, where did you go?" Paul pulled back and put his hands on either side of Ruby's face and looking down at her almost frantically. Rick noticed his accent was a sharp northern one, maybe from Boston or somewhere east.

"I ran, like you told me to." She was laughing, tears falling down her face. He rubbed them away with a large thumb.

"Thank god you did. God, I didn't think... after all this time." He pulled her against his chest again and closed his eyes. He still hadn't paid any attention to Rick or Daryl standing to the side, and both of them were feeling too awkward to interrupt the reunion. "After Songbird..."

"Sarah?" Ruby's eyes widened fearfully and she pulled back to look up at him.

He shook his head. "We got through the worst of it, but when we lost you she was a mess. Kept wanting to go back out, even if she couldn't stand she was so tired. We got careless, didn't see one of the geeks till it was too late." He was apologizing through his words, wiping the new tears off her face. "I'm so sorry, Starlet."

She shook her head. "It wasn't your fault. I shouldn't have let myself get separated from you."

"No, if you hadn't, you might not be here now. It got bad. What happened to you after that? What is this place?" He stood back a little and looked up at the house, then finally at Rick and Daryl. He looked concerned, his brow furrowing as he looked back down at her.

"I went back to that ice house we found, and then Rick found me." She said, stepping forward and taking Rick's arm, leading him toward Paul. "Brought me back here, with Daryl and the others."

Rick stuck his hand out and Paul shook it gratefully. "Thank you so much, man. I don't know what I'd have done if I'd have found her like..."

"It's no problem. She's been... really great." Rick felt so tentative as he spoke to the man Ruby had been waiting for. He felt like something was slipping away from him, something he hadn't even had a chance to have yet.

"Yeah, she's something." Paul grinned down at her proudly. "And you're Daryl?" He looked toward Daryl, sticking his hand out, but Daryl just returned it with a indifferent look and turned and walked away. Paul frowned and looked down at Ruby. She looked sadly after Daryl, but just looked up at Paul and shook her head.

"Rick, can we go inside?" She looked expectantly at him and he nodded quickly.

"Yeah, just pull the truck around the back first. You alone?"

"Yeah." He nodded and Ruby frowned.

"Where did you go?"

"The prison, like we planned. I thought you'd headed there, I needed to check. But it wasn't what we thought. Thank god you didn't go, you wouldn't have gotten back out." He said and their faces dropped. Rick felt a knot in his stomach at the call he himself could have made. He was glad Daryl had left, there was no one around to know that he'd known about its existance.

"You went to the prison? What was it?" He asked Paul.

"Bunch of militia types, thought they ran the world. Set up a camp, secure enough but they fought over everything. Food, pills... girls." He threw a look over at Ruby and swallowed hard. "You don't want to know more, trust me."

He coughed and Ruby took his hand, holding it tightly to reassure him. He let out a breath and looked back up at them. "Anyway, I slipped out a week ago and found the truck abandoned on the road. One of the last ones, they'd been taking them in for parts and gas, and I've been backtracking to where I lost Ruby. Saw the sign. Was that your idea?"

"It was Daryl's." She grinned up at him. "Come on, pull the truck around back and come meet everyone."

"Ok." He said with another wide grin and squeezed her shoulder as he walked back to the truck. She stood back and watched him climb in and as he began to drive around the house she and Rick retreated around their own side and went to meet him.

"I can't believe this." She said happily as they walked, throwing a big smile up at Rick.

"I'm glad he's ok, but I'm sorry about your friend."

Her face became sad again, momentarily. "Yeah, me too."

They reached the backyard and went to where Paul had stopped the vehicle. He hopped out and she pointed to the bed.

"Did you bring anything with you? Bring it in."

"Not much. Wasn't able to keep hold of much in that place." He said and Rick came up close to him.

"Would you mind not mentioning the prison in there? We got people who might have wanted to go, we were trying to figure out whether or not to tell them about it."

Paul shook his head. "No problem, man. You gotta keep them away from it."

Ruby smiled at him gratefully as he threw a huge arm over her slight shoulders. She was dwarfed by his massive frame, but they walked comfortably enough together. Rick closed the back door behind them, noticing Daryl on the far side of the back yard against the trees at one task or another, keeping busy. He'd long ago stopped wondering why the man shied away from new people, and he let it go.

"Carol, this is Paul." Ruby said as they entered the kitchen and Carol looked up at the man with widened eyes but put a small smile on her face.

"Nice to finally meet you." She said in a soft voice, taking the hand he offered shyly. "Ruby's told us so much about you."

"Good to know she didn't forget all about me." He joked and Ruby elbowed him in the side. She led him into the living room and introduced him quickly to the others who had gathered there. He was met with friendly handshakes and nods, and he turned back to Ruby after he'd greeted everyone.

"Come on, we can talk a little, if you guys don't mind." She said, looking back at Rick. He waved his hand at her.

"Of course, go." He said and she grinned, leading Paul back to her room. When they were gone, T-Dog let out a low whistle.

"That's Paul, huh? Dude's huge."

Maggie grinned and went to sit in the armchair in the semi circle. "She said he was a bodyguard."

"Well, I don't want to piss him off." Glenn said, sitting down next to her.

"I'm gonna check on Carl. T, keep watch, make sure nothing followed him." Rick said, going for the stairs.


	13. Say that again?

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC character, Ruby, however, and I adore her._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression._

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I am a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little._

_Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

_*** Get ready folks, a BIG point of contention is going to be discussed. Hope you like how I resolved it. Much love!_

_**** The reviews have been OUTSTANDING! Thank you all so much for taking the time. I am so so sorry it's taken so long to update, hopefully this makes up for that in a small way. It's been nuts around here for me lately. Anyway, thank you again, and I appreciate your time and kind words._

"I was really starting to wonder if I'd ever see you again." Ruby said as Paul dropped his stuff on the floor of her room and came to sit next to her on the bed.

"You know better than that. I wasn't going to stop till I figured out what the hell happened." He said, pulling her into another big hug. "So, these people, you like them?"

"I do. Kept me safe, and they're actually sane." She said, flashing the whites of her eyes. "Sounds like you weren't as lucky."

He grimaced, letting her go after a moment. "That's putting it mildly. They wouldn't bug me alone, but get a group of them together and they'd give a group of walkers a run for their money. If you'd have gone there..." He trailed off and she put a hand on his arm.

"I didn't, so no worries. Come on, don't think about it."

He nodded, looking around the room. "You got a set up here, don't you? Never would have thought it, looking at the outside of this place."

"Rick's idea. He thought if we made the place look abandoned we'd be less likely to receive visitors."

"Good idea. If it weren't for the sign, I'd have just kept going. I'll have to thank, who was he? Daryl? Not the friendliest guy in the world, huh?"

"Outwardly, maybe not. But he's a good guy. He was showing he how to use that crossbow he's got, said I wasn't bad."

"Well, you picked the gun up pretty fast when I showed you. I'm not surprised. You always did catch on in a hurry." He said with a grin and she shrugged.

"Good teachers, that's all." She smiled back with a shake of her head. He noticed the vanity, the electric razor on the top and the pile of Rick's clothes on the floor, and he narrowed his eyes.

"Got a roommate, Starlet?" He asked in that overly protective, big brother way he did.

She chuckled. "I'm not actually sure. That's all Rick's stuff."

"Really?" He raised his eyebrows at her, waiting for her to go on.

"He found me, Paul. At first, I wasn't sure about him, but he'd actually... pretty great."

He gave her a flat look when she used the exact same phrase that Rick had used to describe her in the yard. "Pretty great, huh? He better be, if he's got eyes for you. I can break him apart."

"I know you can, but please refrain. He's working through some stuff here, wouldn't want to make it worse."

"What kind of stuff?" He asked grimly. He knew she always found exactly the most difficult situation to plant herself right in the middle of.

She shrugged. "His wife is upstairs, his son. It's a really long story, please don't cause a fuss."

"I think you better finish that sentence." He said dangerously and she quickly filled him in on the situation with Rick and Lori, and told him about everyone else in the house. He listened patiently, his anger ebbing as she finished. Finally he let out a long sigh and looked at her sideways. "So, you like him back?"

"A hell of a lot." She nodded and he shrugged.

"Ok, then. Whatever makes you happy, Starlet."

They emerged from the room when she led Paul to get cleaned up, and when she came back downstairs, she found T still on the couch, looking out into the front yard through the slats in the windows.

"Anything else out there?" She asked and he looked back at her, shaking his head.

"Nah. You get your boy settled in?" He asked, not really wanting to know if she was going to be sleeping in the same room. He'd thought about pushing Rick to let his emotions for the girl fly, and here this big guy was going to come in and kill any hope Rick had. The thought was less than fun.

"Well, I was hoping you had an extra cot." She said and he grinned.

"I don't think we do, but he can take the couch. If he'll fit. Boy's a little bigger than a wall, isn't he?"

"Yeah, he is." She laughed. "Nobody ever wanted to mess with him, it was good to have around."

"I'll bet."

"Where is everyone?"

"Backyard, mostly." He answered as Carol came back in the back door. They watched her through the door start dinner, and she smiled her thanks at him and went for the kitchen.

The sky had dimmed to dusk as Ruby talked to Paul, and a low orange light filled the sky when Rick saw her appear at the back door. He'd been sitting, thinking intently about Ruby in her room with her friend. He was so glad Paul was fine, for her sake if for nothing else, but the surprise appearance of the man had thrown him more than he'd realized it would. Daryl, too, from the looks of it. The redneck had disappeared into the trees around the house with his crowbar soon after the arrival, and hadn't returned. But Rick couldn't think about that, it was all Paul. The man's size for one, was enough to make anyone look twice. He was even bigger than Shane had been, and his rough expression, even when softened as he looked at Ruby, made him an imposing figure. Rick wasn't afraid of him in any way except when he thought of how they had greeted each other. Picking her up, hugging her so tightly. He tried to remember the time in the ice house, when he'd asked if Paul had been her boyfriend. Of course, she had said no, but to say she'd been under duress at the time was a giant understatement. He couldn't help but wonder if whatever he had started with her had stopped before it had even begun.

Carl was playing with Maggie and Glenn in the middle of the yard, Lori sitting on a stump nearby watching. No one else saw her, and she nodded to him to come over. He stood quickly, brushed himself off, and crossed the yard to her, trying to push the thoughts from his mind.

"Did you get Paul situated?" He asked, a lot more casually than he felt. He'd assumed the man would be staying in her room, and he wondered what it was going to be like not being able to go to her room tonight, have the little ritual he'd come to find so much comfort in, then be able to hold her as she slept. They may not have done more than kiss and cuddle at that point, but he'd give anything to know that was still his to have.

"He's getting a shower. He was so excited when I told him we had running water." She grinned and stepped back from the door and they walked back across the room together, through the dining room, and when she led him into her room and shut the door behind them, he steeled himself for the let down he assumed she was ready to give him. She turned to him and tilted her head, a little concern in her face. "Are you alright? I'm sorry I didn't ask if he could stay, I just assumed-"

He cut her off. "Of course, Ruby. We're welcoming him here, all of us. We're just happy you found him, and sorry about Sarah."

She bit her lip and looked at the floor. "I think she died because of me, Rick. I didn't say that to Paul, but he said she freaked out. You heard him."

"Anyone would have, Ruby. Don't think like that. You couldn't help what happened, getting separated like that." He took a step forward despite himself, putting a hand on her cheek, palm caressing her face.

"I just hate thinking of her like that. She went through so much just to have it end like that." He saw her eyes dampen, and he frowned down into her face.

"Stop. You have to stop it, and think about Paul. He went through a lot too, and he's here, safe. You got him back."

"Thank god. I still can't believe it. I know he's different, but I hope you all love him as much as I do. It would mean a lot."

"I'm sure we will, but does that mean you'll be staying with us? I wasn't sure if you would." He spoke slowly and deliberately, unable to stop the question from coming. She raised her eyebrows in confusion at him.

"I want to, if you're ok with having him here. You are, aren't you? I don't want to leave."

He felt his heart flutter. "Are you kidding? If you'd wanted to go, I was fully prepared to fight you on it." He grinned and she let out a relieved breath under his hand and smiled back. "Anyway, I can get my stuff out of here so Paul can have a place to put his things."

She frowned, shaking her head. "Is there not enough room for him to have a cot out there somewhere?"

It was Rick's turn to be surprised. "Sure there is. I just assumed he'd be staying in here. The way you two look, I thought..."

"That we were together? We're not, Rick. I thought I told you that." She reached out a took his hand, the one he'd had on her cheek that had since fallen to his side. "We never have been."

He felt his heart leap in his chest, almost painfully, and he stifled a huge smile. It would be inappropriate. "That's a relief. I thought we had a pretty good thing going."

"So do I. Actually, he noticed your stuff in here, asked about you. About us."

"He did? What did you say?" He searched her face with his eyes intently.

She gave a slight shrug. "That it's new, and different. I wasn't sure what to say really except that... well, that we were working something out. I don't think that's innacurate."

He smiled. "I can't think of a better way to put it."

She smiled back at him and he pulled her into a hug. "We're out of cots, but if I knew I had someplace to stay, I could let him have mine."

She chuckled. "I know I've been standoffish for a while, and I'm sorry about that. It's just, I really don't want to cause any trouble. But you already know you always have a place here."

He looked down into her face, and felt the warmth that was always in the pit of his stomach when she was around flare up, and flow out to his arms and legs. He leaned down and their lips brushed tenderly, his mouth opening slightly to take in her full lower lip between his. She responded, her tongue dancing with his slowly at first, then quicker, and he pulled her against him tightly, the fullness that was already growing in his jeans becoming strained and painful.

She pulled back after a moment and put her forehead against his lips, leaning into him fully. "Rick, what you've done for me has been more than I could have asked for, you know? Now, taking Paul in, too. I don't know what to think of you."

He closed his eyes, mumbling against her skin. "There's nothing I wouldn't do for you, Ruby. I would hope you'd have realized that by now."

"I have." She said back and the knock at the door startled them both. Ruby pulled back just as Paul stuck his head inside and saw them.

"Hey." He grinned. "I was done, needed my stuff."

"Yeah, come in." Rick nodded quickly, and Paul came all the way into the room. He'd dressed in a pair of fatigue pants and a darker green teeshirt, and looked every part of the soldier he was.

"Give me your clothes, Paul. I'll get them washed for you. How was the shower?" Ruby asked as he moved to his bag on the floor, dirty garments in his arms. He grinned back at her.

"Always taking care of me. She's awesome, isn't she, man?"

Rick put his arm around her and pulled her to his side, smiling down at her. "Yeah, I think so." She put her arm around his waist and smiled happily at the two men.

Rick put his arm around her and pulled her to his side, smiling down at her. "Yeah, I think so." She put her arm around his waist and smiled happily at the two men.

"This is so great. Having you here like this. Got a surprise for you, too. Rick is gonna give you the cot right out there in the dining room, but you can have the bed for a while to rest up. You have to be exhausted."

"Keep the bed, girl. That cot's gonna be great, thanks Rick. Been sleeping in the truck, I think I'm gonna be permanently bent over. You remember any of that stuff Rose used to teach you, 'cause I could sure use it."

"After dinner, I'll hook you up. I think Carol's gonna make something special." She smiled and he stood back up, stretching his tired muscles out.

"Sounds great. I'm starving." He said and she stepped forward, patting his shoulder.

"Well, let's go feed you then." She turned and led them out of the room. Paul looked to Rick as they walked.

"This is a good little setup you got here, man. She said it was your idea to dress down the front, gotta say it was damn good, too. I almost went right by."

"That's the idea. Glad you didn't though. Ruby's done nothing but watch for you."

Paul grinned at her back as they got to the living room. T nodded at them and turned from the window. "Daryl's out there somewhere. I saw him a few minutes ago."

Rick nodded. "Sounds good." He watched as Ruby led Paul to the kitchen to see Carol. "Thanks for keeping watch while they get settled in."

"I'm good for it. Are things...?" T asked tentatively and Rick grinned.

"Better." He said and T grinned at him as they went to join the growing group in the kitchen.

Dinner was a cheerful affair. Paul talked animatedly to the group as they ate, telling funny stories about his and Ruby's life before, and the all sat in a large circle on the floor as they ate, laughing and talking. Even Lori joined in, curious at the new arrival, and she laughed lightly every now and then at something he would say. The mood was light and Rick loved seeing Ruby's wide smile permanently across her face.

"How the hell did you get this food, man?" Paul asked, as Carol gave him another plateful of the fresh green beans and sliced tomatoes, a large scoop of mashed potatoes and a few more pieces of the deer Daryl had brought in the day before. Daryl came in just then and grabbed a plate Carol had made for him from the kitchen table, shoving the food in his mouth at the doorway he leaned in, watching the group.

"A garden, down the road. Probably need to make another run, actually. Can we do that tomorrow?" Ruby answered and Rick shrugged, his mouth full.

"Sure, I don't see why not."

Paul shook his head. "Man, I haven't eaten this good in forever. Carol, you're a great cook."

She gave him a shy smile. "Thank you, Paul."

He grinned. "Starlet, you should let her teach you. I've seen this girl burn water."

"Hush up, you." She said, faking a scowl in his direction.

"Why do you call her that?" Maggie asked, chuckling.

"What? Starlet?" He tilted his head at her and laughed softly. "The girls in the shows were all about the shoes and the clothes. It was Prada this, and Gucci that. She wasn't like that, though, you know? She liked the pretty stuff but she wouldn't pay more than a hundred bucks for something. It started out as a joke, I guess, it kinda stuck, though."

"He had nicknames for everybody." Ruby said, smiling wistfully. "Sarah was Songbird. Jenny was Pancake, because she loved them so much. What were some of the others?"

"Bonnie." He said and she laughed.

"Right. Bonnie was Hollywood."

"Hollywood? Why?" Glenn asked.

"Girl was obsessed with celebrities. She would meet somebody famous and lose her mind. I think they hired me partly to keep her from jumping people, not the other way around."

"So, you worked together for a long time? How did you do that, if you worked different jobs every time?" T-Dog asked.

"I was in a grocery store in Queens about six years ago. Guy in front of me got into a fight with the guy in front of him and I put it down. Her dad was watching and came up and asked if I wanted a job as a bodyguard. Been with the family ever since, every job she went on, I came with the package."

"You know you could have picked what you wanted, gone where you wanted to." Ruby said back to him with a raised eyebrow. "Paul had quite the reputation. People knew they could count on him, and his military experience made him a hot commodity."

"I wasn't going to leave you guys. Songbird and Hollywood, and you? Made life interesting." He balked at her. "Besides, Frank's a boss. Guy is one of a kind, I wasn't going anywhere."

He always referred to her father in the present tense, never saying 'was' when he talked about him. He'd refused from the beginning to think anything had happened to him, and she didn't know if that was for her, or just because he admired him so much. Whatever it was, it always made her smile.

"He's always adored you." She said and Rick gave her a reassuring nod. He wished he could have known her family the way Paul had. Known her before all of this. The man was lucky, that was for sure."

"I can't imagine your life, so exciting. Makes our life sound so dull in comparison." Carol said with a small smile.

"Still would give anything to have it back." Glenn said and was met with a round of appreciative nods.

"I hear that." T-Dog said and they all sat back thoughtfully silent for a moment.

"Well, I'm going to start cleaning up." Carol said and Ruby, Beth, and Maggie got up to help. Plates were gathered and Rick leaned back against the fireplace wall and watched the activity around him. The happy chatter from the girls in the kitchen coming back through the doorway.

"Glenn, are you and Maggie going back to the garden?" He asked and immediately cringed because Carl perked right up.

"I wanna go."

Lori shook her head. "Oh no. It's hard enough for me to let you play outside as it is."

"Your mom's right, Carl. I don't want you all the way out there. But when we get back we'll do something, ok?" Rick said.

"Maggie'll want to go, yeah."

"How about you, Paul?"

"You know it." Came the friendly answer and Rick nodded.

"We'll go early. Maybe be able to scrounge up a little more from that farmhouse. I don't know how long we'll be here."

"You think, you know, if things keeping going ok, we should stay here? We got running water, and I think the idea of a safe zone is pretty much over now." T-Dog got up and took a seat in one of the chairs, crossing his arms over his chest and looking at Rick.

"I don't think you should." Paul said, throwing Rick a look, and they turned their attention toward him. "I've been down the way, there's a group down there that was less than friendly. And they aren't that far away. I don't think they'll come back out here, but I wouldn't chance it. West, maybe? There's other places like this still out there."

"You want to get back on the road?" Lori asked from the couch, a tentative frown on her dark features.

"Not really, but Paul's got a point. We all knew this would be temporary." Rick answered.

"Winters a couple months away. Give us enough time to find someplace decent." Glenn said and T-Dog nodded.

"This group, they holed up or moving on?"

"Pretty well holed up." Paul answered and T-Dog frowned.

"And you said they're bad news?"

"Putting it mildly. They find you, and can guarantee not all of you are making it out alive." Paul answered and the frown deepened.

"Then we get out of here." T said flatly. "That's my take, anyway."

"Yeah, me too." Glenn said just as Maggie and Beth came back from the kitchen.

"Me too, what?" She asked lightly, gathering the last of the dishes.

"Paul said there's a group down the road a little way that's pretty dangerous. We were talking about picking up and heading west to find someplace safer than this." Glenn said and she paused.

"We're leaving?"

"We need to plan it out, but that's what we're thinking." Rick said and she frowned, but nodded. She quickly gathered the remaining plates and she and her sister returned to the kitchen.

"Rick said we're leaving." Maggie said when they got back to the kitchen and Carol turned on her quickly. Daryl was still in the doorway and looked at her with a set jaw. She returned his gaze questioningly and he took a deep breath.

"I think he's right. Man's led us good so far." He said and Ruby tightened her lips.

"So do I."

Carol sighed and nodded. "Alright, then. But when?"

"We got to have enough time to find a decent place before winter." He said and Ruby slipped away as they talked about it. She returned to the living room and sat down in an armchair to listen as Rick and Paul discussed it further. From what she heard, nothing definite was planned, but they would be leaving soon.


	14. Fireworks

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC character, Ruby, however, and I adore her._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression._

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I am a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little._

_Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

_*** Get ready folks, a BIG point of contention is going to be discussed. Hope you like how I resolved it. Much love!_

_**** The reviews have been OUTSTANDING! Thank you all so much for taking the time. I am so so sorry it's taken so long to update, hopefully this makes up for that in a small way. It's been nuts around here for me lately. Anyway, thank you again, and I appreciate your time and kind words._

_****This chapter is short, but hopefully the action makes up for that... wink wink..._

Dark settled over the farm and they'd talked deep into it. Lori, Carl, Maggie, Glenn, Hershel and Beth had retired to their rooms to sleep, and Rick had gone to get Paul settled in at the cot, removing the last of his belongings from it. Ruby went to the kitchen for water before going to her own room, and found Daryl sitting at the kitchen table in the dim light of a candle, tightening the strings on his bow carefully.

"Hey, you gonna get some rest?" She said idly as she filled a bottle left on the counter.

"Soon." He said flatly and she came to sit across from him at the table.

"You never showed me how to make those arrows." She said leaning back in the chair.

He kept his eyes on his task. "You gonna be around long enough for me to bother?"

She chuckled. "You are Rick, huh? Thinking I'm running off into the sunset because Paul's come back? Hate to disappoint you, but you're not getting rid of me that easily."

His eyes flicked up to her momentarily. "You get done with your little field trip tomorrow come and find me."

She grinned and got up, capping her water bottle. "Goodnight Daryl." He grunted as she left the room. Friendly, he may not seem so, but she liked him an awful lot.

Paul was sitting on the cot as she got into the dining room, untying his boots. He grinned as she came in. "I am so glad not to be sleeping in that truck, you have no idea."

"I do too. You remember that Corolla we picked up, all three of us slept in that thing for a week." She leaned against the table and smiled at him.

"And my back will never be the same. You promised to help out with that, you know." He chuckled and leaned back on the cot, turning over on his stomach and looking back at her expectantly. She laughed lightly and put her hands on his shoulders, digging in a little with her thumbs like Rose had taught her. He let out a low "ughhh" as she worked on him, relaxing under her touch. "I have missed this, gotta tell you."

"Rose did it better." She said and he shrugged.

"She was pretty amazing but you're not half bad."

"Thanks for that." She chuckled. "Considering it's all you got left I would hope so."

"I like Rick." He said after a moment and she raised her eyebrows, thoughtfully kneading his left shoulder. "I wasn't sure I would."

"I knew you would."

"Well, you said Daryl was a good guy too, but I still think you're delusional. Dude redefines anti-social, doesn't he?"

"Maybe at first. Maybe forever, with you. He's a type A personality, that's for sure."

He grunted again lightly as she hit a particularly tense spot and she focused on that for a while. When he spoke again, he was muffled by the pillow he'd buried his face in. "I guess I have to take your word for it, but the rest of them seem good enough. You got lucky."

"I know I did. How's that?" She asked, finishing up. "You think you can get some sleep now?"

"A hell of a lot better than I would have. Thanks." He said, letting out a breath and rolling over on his side to look at her.

"Well, enjoy it while it lasts. We'll be back on the road soon enough."

"We'll find someplace, maybe even better." His voice was positive, cheerful, and she chuckled.

"Always the optimist. Get some sleep, we have to be up early to go to the garden." She said, leaning down and kissing his cheek. He reached up and mussed her ponytail gently.

"Glad to have you back, Starlet."

"Not as glad as I am to have you back." She smiled at him, kneeling down next to the cot. "Thanks for not giving up on me."

"Never." He said firmly, and yawned. She squeezed his hand and grabbed the thin blanket on the end of the cot. Pulling it over him, she patted his cheek and blew out the candle on the ground next to him before standing back up and heading back to her own room.

Rick was shirtless and standing at the vanity when she entered the room. Shutting the door behind her, she came to stand next to him at the mirror as he shaved, and his reflection smiled at her.

"It's kind of a shame to leave after we fixed the place up so nice, huh?" She asked.

"Maybe somebody else will come along that can use it." He said gently, running the razor over the last part of his cheek and clicked it off. He turned to her, wrapping his arms around her waist and pulling her close.

"Mmm.. You as tired as I am?" She murmured against his bare chest.

"You've had a big day." He rested his chin on the top of her head.

"Every day is big." She said with a grin. "Turn around so I can change." She disconnected herself from his arms and he turned back to the vanity while she went to the dresser and pulled out her sleeping clothes. He tried to keep his eyes down, but they drifted up to the mirror as she pulled the tank top over her head, her lithe back exposed to him as she changed. Stifling a smile, and the growing arousal, she called to him as she finished and got into the bed. He went to the window and opened it, feeling the cool breeze begin to flow through the room, and he blew out the candle and joined her. They pushed the thin blankets aside, even they were still too warm to use them, and he got on his side next to her, running his fingers down her arm and back up, tracing the line of her shoulder and over her collarbone lightly.

"Are you happy?" He whispered, looking into her eyes. The light was barely there, but he could make out the shape of her face, the glint of the whites of her eyes.

"Yeah, I am. Are you?"

"I really am." He nodded, even though she probably couldn't see it. "Don't be afraid of leaving here."

He felt her shake her head. "I'm not. I'll be with you."

At that, he leaned down and felt for her lips with his own. Her skin felt hot against his, and he searched every part of her mouth with his. Her fingers tangled in his thick, dark hair, and he almost groaned when she raised a knee and stroked his hip with the inside of her thigh. He ran a hand up it, kneading her skin firmly and moving under the fabric of the shorts she had pulled on. He'd remained shirtless, and her fingers massaged his chest, moving up to his shoulders as he kissed her deeply, his mouth leaving hers and moving down her neck to her shoulder. Taking his hand away from her thigh, he pulled the strap of her tank away, tasting every inch of her skin along her neck and to the top of her shoulder before coming back and doing it again. She let out a sigh against his temple, arching a little under him and he felt a jolt go through his groin. The pants he wore became far to tight for him, and he leaned back unbuttoning them quickly. She leaned up as he scooted back and stood, kicking them off. He leaned forward and grabbed the bottom of her tank, pulling it over hear head in a flash. Her bra was a simple white one, and he had it unfastened and off in a moment, dropping it to the floor before leaning back over her and pushing her back to the bed. He moved down her body, kissing his way down to her full breasts and flat stomach.

"Oh God, Rick." She whispered as he took her nipple in his mouth and sucked at it gently, his hands working the soft skin on her sides and down to her hips. Grasping the fabric of her shorts, he pulled them, and her panties, off in one single motion and she lifted her hips to help. She was curvy, full in all the right places, and his hands couldn't get enough. He touched and kissed her everywhere and when his fingers traced back up her thigh and drifted closer to her warm wetness she put the back of her hand over her mouth to stifle her moan. His fingers were deft and deliberate and he ran a finger across her, before pushing one into her and rising, his other hand pulling her own hand away and replacing it with his lips. She moaned this time, into his mouth and he met it with one of his own.

He had wanted this, then he'd needed it with a power he didn't know was possible, and now that he was getting it, he had no idea how he had been showing such restraint. She tasted sweet, warm and inviting, and he felt his erection twitch against her leg. Unable to stop himself any longer, he moved over her fully, feeling her wet, soaked actually, against him.

"Now, please." She whispered and he obliged, pushing forward and burying himself fully into her. She gasped, her body struggling to accommodate his fullness and he paused, letting her become accustomed to him. He wanted to scream, groan, anything to let the universe know how amazing her felt. She was tight, and God, so wet. He'd never felt anything like it, and his breain short circuited, colors flying under his eyelids as he started to move again. He grunted when she thrust her hips against him, desperate to have him fully inside her again. He made his own thrust and she arched again, higher this time, her breasts pressed fully against his chest. Picking up a rhythm, he moved against her, stifling her gasps and low moans with his mouth, his arms around her in a vice grip. It wouldn't be long, he knew, and when he felt his walls begin to crash around him he slowed, waiting for it to ebb. When it did, he picked it back up again faster until it happened again.

"Oh my god." She gasped, pressing her lips into his chest. He didn't slow that time, putting his hand on the back of her head and holding her against him. She began to quiver under him, and though he wanted to wait until he knew she had completely gone over the edge, his body had been denied too long and he lost control. Feeling the first wave of warmth crash over his body, his already fast breath stopped completely as wave after wave of ecstasy hit him like a brick wall. He heard her say his name as she bucked against him, her legs wrapping around his waist tightly, trying to hold him in.

They slowed, then stopped together, both gasping for breath as they lay there, holding each other. He couldn't move, her already tight body having further tightened around him in a deliriously wonderful way. She fell back against the pillows and sighed.

"Oh my god..."

He relaxed against her, rolling onto his side and held her tightly against him, still inside her. Their sweat, mixed and drenched over them, made them warm and slick, but he held her there. His brain, usually so alive with worry and dread, calmed to a dull whisper of what it was. He'd felt every part of her, and it was more wonderful than he could ever have hoped.

Eventually, he pulled the thin blanket over their naked bodies and they fell asleep in each others arms, his face buried in her hair and her cheek against his chest.


	15. Pack your stuff

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC character, Ruby, however, and I adore her._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression._

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I am a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little._

_Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

_*** Get ready folks, a BIG point of contention is going to be discussed. Hope you like how I resolved it. Much love!_

_**** The reviews have been OUTSTANDING! Thank you all so much for taking the time. I am so so sorry it's taken so long to update, hopefully this makes up for that in a small way. It's been nuts around here for me lately. Anyway, thank you again, and I appreciate your time and kind words._

_*** Time to move on. Hope this makes up for the lack of a ton of action lately. We're getting ready to see the &%$ hit the fan in the coming chapters... _

Rick slept deeply, and no dreams bothered him that night. It could have been a blink of an eye when he sense the sunlight begin to lighten the room and his eyes opened, and yet he felt completely rested. Rested, but slightly sore in that wonderful way you are the morning after, he realized when he moved against the mattress.

Ruby was standing at the vanity, her jeans hung low on her curvy hips and no shirt to speak of. Instead, miles of perfect olive skin graced his vision and he couldn't tear his eyes away. The strap of her blue bra shown slightly under the curtain of hair that hung down her back as she looked into the mirror, washing her face and neck with a washcloth from the water basin. He laid there and watched her peacefully for a few moments while she remained unaware he'd woken.

She put the cloth down and began to run a brush through her long dark tresses, her eyes finally crossing the glass to him. He smiled at her and she chuckled.

"Morning." She whispered, putting the brush down and going to the foot of the bed. She reached for a black tank top and he leaned up quickly, grabbing her hand before she could put it on.

"Not yet." He murmured as he pulled her over the bed and onto his chest, and she relaxed against him, her hair tickling his chest.

"We have to get going. I already heard people up, probably going to march right in here soon. If they didn't already hear us last night." She grinned.

He shrugged, leaning in for a kiss. "Ask me if I care. I'm going to keep you here all day."

"Mm.." She said as their lips disconnected. "That'll go over well. Come on, Rick. Get dressed."

He let her pull him up and she stood, putting the top still clutched in her hand over her head. "Fine." He stood himself, getting dressed quickly and moving to the door. When he let himself out to go to the bathroom, she pulled her hair up into a messy bun on her head and went to find Paul.

Rick hurried, dressed in the cool bathroom, and went back downstairs to find her. She was in the kitchen, but he was surprised to see her not engrossed in her friend. Instead, she was chatting with Carol by the sink, her bottle of water to her lips. The kitchen table, however, was full. Paul sat surrounded by people, the closest of which was Beth. She sat looking up at him with a small smile as he spoke, and he kept directing his attention back to her in return. He interrupted the gathering with a sharp cough.

"Hey, you all ready to go?" He asked and Ruby snapped to.

"Yeah, but don't you want to eat first?" She tilted her head to the side questioningly.

He shook his head. "Nah, I'll do it when we get back."

"Well, let's do this, then." Paul stood and smacked his hands together, rubbing them quickly.

"Hey, Rick? Glen and me are gonna stay. Beth didn't get a chance to go last time." Maggie leaned back in her kitchen chair and spoke a little louder than usual. Rick noticed Beth give her a stern look, but Maggie just smiled a little.

"Alright then." Rick said and motioned for Beth to follow. Ruby leaned down and grabbed the stack of baskets and bags next to the door, following him outside.

"I'm glad you're coming." She grinned at Beth and the girl fell into step to her right.

"Maggie said it was great, I wanted to see it for myself."

"Here, Starlet." Paul said from behind her, sweeping the baskets away from her and putting them in the back of the truck they had taken to the garden last time. "Beth, you want to ride in the back?" He asked and the small girl's face lit up for a moment with a bright smile.

"Sure." She said and Ruby went to Rick at the door to the driver's seat as Paul picked Beth easily up off the ground and planted her in the bed of the truck. Ruby slid into the cab and Rick got in next to her.

"We need the blankets and things from the house, don't forget." Ruby said as Rick pulled the truck around and went for the front of the house.

"I won't forget." Rick watched the road carefully. Daryl came from the trees to the left of the little road as they entered the trees. Rick pulled the truck to a stop and the man leaned into the window, his crossbow over his shoulder and his eyes narrow.

"Nothin out there now, but watch your back."

Rick nodded. "Will do. Be back in a little while, you got this place?"

"Yeah, no problem, man." Daryl said, his eyes flicking over to Ruby before going back to the bed, with Paul and Beth. "Find me when you get back now, you hear?"

"Yeah, I will." She grinned back at him and Rick pulled off toward the highway.

"What was that?" He asked as he drove.

She chuckled a little, looking out over the sunlit woods. "Cheering him up, Rick. That's all."

He let out a breath as he pulled onto the wide highway and around a couple abandoned cars. He wanted to laugh and joke with her like he usually did, but he was concerned with being out here. The second time. The first had treated them well, but there was no telling what today would bring. Also, he thought about leaving the confines of the house and heading just this way. What that would mean to the whole group. The truth was, not all of them would make it to their next destination, wherever that may be.

Ruby turned in the seat next to him and looked out the back window at Paul and Beth. They were sitting with their heads tilted toward each other to be heard over the noise of the rushing wind and the engine.

"He likes it here with us." She said, turning back around and sitting a little closer to him.

"I'm glad." Rick leaned forward and scanned the side of the road for the little pathway to the garden's farmhouse. Spotting it, he pulled the truck a little to the left and slowed. He was about to turn when Ruby grabbed his arm tightly.

"Look, Rick." She blurted and he whipped his head around to see what she saw. Way down the road was a stumbling figure, tiny in the distance, and he pressed his lips together.

"Too far away, probably can't even see us from here." He said, ducking the truck into the trees and speeding down the driveway to the farmhouse. It was all the same, still laying quiet and broken in the large yard. Pulling the truck around like he did before, he stopped it between the garden and the house and turned it off.

"You see that walker?" Paul asked, hopping lightly down from the bed and helping Beth down after.

"Yeah. Keep your eyes open, and move fast." Rick said, grabbing his Python and holding it at his side tightly. The mood wasn't destroyed, but it was markedly quieter as they went about gathering more food from the field.

Beth followed Ruby's finger to one side and she and Paul, each with baskets, started to fill them with vegetables. "Rick, relax. We'll see them in enough time out here." She said as Rick followed her to the other side. She wanted to see where Maggie and Glenn had gathered before.

"Get enough for the road. I don't think we'll be back." Rick said softly, trying to ease a bit.

"Do my best." She said, putting potatoes covered in light brown dirt into the basket. She frowned a little hating knowing this was the last time she'd see this place. It had the capability to feed them for a long time, and finding another wasn't going to be easy.

Tomatoes, fresh off the staked vines in the ground, turnips, it all looked wonderful and soon she had a full to bursting basket before her. She grabbed a bag and began to fill that too.

"Watermelons. Maggie didn't tell me they had these." She said, delighted, as they neared the end. Rick glanced back down at her, reluctantly tearing his eyes from the trees and yard around the field, but when he looked at her he felt his heart speed up again in a much more pleasant way that it had been. He knelt down and moved his hands to hers, digging through the soft dirt and pulling out a partially buried melon.

Their heads bumped a little and she laughed lightly, looking at him through her long lashes. He felt his heart thump loudly in his chest, but his gaze was broken by movement from his left. His python was almost out again when he realized it was just Paul picking up Beth's basket and taking it back to the truck. Leaning back on his haunches, he put his hands on his knees and watched.

"Looks like they filled up already." He said and she followed his gaze.

"Well, let's join them, then." She grinned and picked up the now full bag. He grabbed the basket she'd already filled and they went back across the field to the two already there, chatting amiably.

Beth was wearing a wide smile when they got there, turning it to Ruby and Rick. "Got some watermelons." Ruby said and Paul grinned appreciatively.

"Great. What's next?"

Rick listened carefully for sounds of walkers through the conversation. "Why don't you two stay out here and get more apples. Get as much as you can. We'll go get a few more things from the house, but if you see anything, get inside."

"Ok." Beth kept her smile and she and Paul wandered back to the trees lining the edge of the field.

"Come on, let's do this." Ruby said, putting a hand on his arm and taking his attention away from them. He followed her to the house, but took a protective stance in front of her at the back door. Gun pulled, he pushed the door opened and quickly scanned the kitchen.

"Check if they have any garbage bags. We can use them for the blankets." She whispered, and when he saw the rooms were clear before him he went to the sink. Opening the cabinet below, he found a couple pieces of black plastic balled up underneath. Pulling them out, he handed them to her.

"Stay close to me until we've cleared the whole place." He instructed and she nodded, moving to his elbow. They moved together through the first floor, ears perked, and when they reached the second floor, she moved behind him to the first bedroom.

"Help me fold them." She said, going to the bed and taking the intricately embroidered quilt from the bed. He went to the other side and they had it in the bag in a few moments. "Next bedroom, then. I think we got everything from here."

They moved to the second bedroom and found three blankets there, and she grabbed a few more articles of clothing she'd left last time. She looked up into his face as they moved to the last bedroom.

"You're making me nervous, Rick."

He felt his grip on his python loosen at her words. Of course he was, he'd been more on edge since the highway than he could remember. Forcing a smile, he put his arm around her and kissed her hair.

"I'm sorry. I just don't want anything to happen to you."

She grinned and stepped away, pulling the last blanket off the bed. "Got you and Paul here with me. Now, give me hand."

He helped her and soon they were taking the bags down the stairs and out to the back door. When they reemerged into the sunlight, they could see Paul and Beth still at the trees. They were finishing up, and he hoisted a couple bulging bags over his shoulder and walked back toward them.

"I think Beth and Ruby should ride in the cab. That walker from before should be a lot closer." Rick said, sitting the bags into the bed.

"That's a good idea." Paul said, his hand going to his sidearm and his eyes scanning the yard around them. Ruby slid into the truck and Paul helped Beth up beside her as Rick started it up. Paul locked the door, shut it behind the girls, and hopped lightly up into the bed of the truck, perching on the wheel well.

Ruby pushed the tiny slide window open and pressed her face to it. "Be careful, Paul."

He smiled back at her. "Always am, Starlet."

They got to the highway and Rick stopped the truck just before the road, looking around intently at the pavement as far as he could see on either way.

"Here we go." He said darkly and turned toward their homestead.

I don't see anything, Ruby thought, but she didn't say a word. She knew better than to tempt fate like that. Her leg was pressed close to Rick's and she increased the pressure in a reassuring way. He flicked his eyes over to her and took his right arm off the wheel, wrapping it around her shoulders tightly.

"Do you smell that?" Beth curled her little nose up and grimaced just as it hit Ruby.

"Ugh, what is that?" She said. A sharp tapping on the hood of the truck made her head whip around to look back at Paul, and he reached an arm in to tap Rick on the shoulder. He pulled the truck slowly to a crawl and leaned out the window. His heart had picked up, the smell was one he'd smelled before. Dark, smoky, meaty. It was the smell of burning flesh.

The highway was deserted, but as Rick stopped the truck and Paul hopped down, they could clearly see a haze in the air that hadn't been there before. Rick opened the truck door and pointed back for Ruby and Beth to stay put as he joined Paul on the roadway a few steps ahead. They could hear faint noises in the distance, in the woods on the opposite side of the road from where they'd came, and Paul looked back at him with narrowed eyes.

"Sounds like somebody's having a party." He said and Rick could immediately pick up on the sounds of whooping and cries through the trees.

"And why would they be burning bodies?" Rick responded grimly.

"So that's what that is, huh? It's not pleasant, is it?" Paul put a wrist up to his nose and coughed lightly.

"Let's get the girls out of here. We can come back with Daryl and T-Dog." Rick took a step back and turned to the truck. His eyes rose to level just as the charred remains of a walker stumbled across the yellow line and hit the back of the vehicle and Ruby and Beth jumped visibly.

"God damnit." Rick growled and pulled his Python, raising it and aiming for the burned out left eye of the thing.

"Wait!" Paul almost yelled, grabbing his shoulder. "The noise, it's just one." He said, pulling a knife from his belt and jogging around Rick to the slow, shambling figure. He aimed and jerked, sending the blade up through the chin into the brain, and the thing paused, relaxed, and fell to the ground as Paul pulled free with his weapon.

Ruby hit the window and dropped from the cab of the truck in a mere second, coming to stand between Paul and Rick, looking down at the walker on the ground. It was black, charred, no telling if it had once been man or woman. The teeth were bright even in their decayed way against the crispy skin of the face, and the smoke from whatever fire it had been in was still rising off it in tendrils and wisps.

"What the holy hell happened to it?" She murmured in awe, her face concerned.

"I guess the fire wasn't enough to kill the head." Rick said, his lips pressed tightly together. "Get back in the truck. Paul, get in with us. We'll come back later when we're prepared."

The four of them went quickly back to the cab, Rick and Ruby sliding in one side and Paul helping Beth up on the other side. The smaller girl ended up on his lap, and Rick started the truck back up and headed down the road.

They reached the driveway to their house and he pulled down in quickly. Coming to a stop behind the house, Rick got out and helped Ruby down as Paul did the same with Beth. He left the keys in and they went to find Daryl. He was sitting in the front room, watching out the front. He gave no acknowledgment that he had seen them pull up though, but no one had time to worry about that.

"Daryl, can you come with us? Where's T-dog?" Rick asked, marching through the house to the dining room. He stopped at the table and checked his weapon for ammo, sticking more in his pockets. The house came alive when they saw the serious looks of the four of them, and Beth went immediately to her sister when she spotted Maggie and Glenn coming down the stairs.

"Right here, man." T-Dog said, coming down after them. Paul was beside Rick at the table with his gun as well, and Rick's eyes went from the two of them to the stairs.

"Good. Need you to take watch, keep a sharp eye. We have to take care of something out there, and you and Glenn gotta hold the place down."

"Yeah, no problem. We got this." T nodded, his hand going to his sidearm, like the others, as he turned and went back up the stairs.

"Keep everybody inside, Glenn. Nobody steps foot out that door until we're back, got it?" Rick ordered, crossing the room again and going for the back door.

"Yeah, sure." Glenn nodded and took a place watching at the living room window. Maggie and Beth went to the couches, Hershel, Lori and Carl descended from the second floor to join them as Daryl dropped out of sight at the back door.

"What are you doing? Go back in." Paul said as Ruby followed him and Rick right out the back door.

"You're going, I'm going." She said and Rick turned quickly.

"Oh no, you're a good shot, we need you here." He said, not saying what he really thought. That is something happened to her he'd pretty much die.

She gave him the first stubborn, stern look since they'd met. "No, Rick. I'm not getting separated again, forget it."

Rick pressed his mouth into a deeper frown and looked to Paul. The man was standing there, his brows furrowed, and he and Ruby seemed to be engaged in wordless conversation.

"Well, you comin or not?" Daryl poked his head back around the house and gruffly interrupted the exchange. Paul glanced up at him before returning his gaze to Ruby.

"You stay between us, and don't do anything crazy." He said and she nodded quickly. He looked up at Rick and let out a deep breath as the three of them followed Daryl around to the front of the house.

"Why aren't we taking a truck?" Ruby asked from her place between Rick and Paul.

"It's not far, and we can hide in the trees better." Rick said, his eyes on Daryl's back several paces ahead. He hated having Ruby walk into god knows what like this, but the thought of being away from her was just as painful, so he tried to quiet it. He had enough backup, he hoped...

"Somebody's having a barbeque." Daryl said in a low voice as they made their way just down the tree line and toward the increasingly intense smell. The smoky haze was thicker now as they walked, and they all quieted as the sounds they had heard before drifted back into earshot.

"Stay behind me." Rick put his free hand around Ruby's wrist and pulled her close. Paul got up behind her, trying to shield her further from anything they might see. Daryl even slowed, and soon, the four of them were in a kind of triangle moving through the trees.

The sounds got louder, and individual voices began to be discernible. The heat from a fire was evident even before they could see it.

"Whoo! Yeah, man! Get 'em!" A high pitched voice reached their ears. They emerged into a partial clearing and could see a house just beyond the trees. Whatever was happening was on the other side, and Daryl led them back into the trees to flank it on the right. After a few moments of movement, they had a fairly good view of the front of the house.

There was a large bonfire made in the grass on front yard of the dilapidated and broken down farmhouse. Large tree branches and wooden posts could be seen in the flames, but that wasn't what caught their attention. There were burnt bodies and parts in the fire and laying just outside the lapping embers.

"Stay close, get low." Rick said, shielding his face from the smell, as did the others. They crouched there in the underbrush and watched several forms dancing around the fire, chattering loudly and drunkenly cheering. Walkers had been brought in and were being fed to the bonfire like kindle, and the participants lifted beer cans and bottles to their lips with grubby fingers and soot streaked grins. They were large men, most of them, with bellies rounded by too much alcohol and bad food.

"That's disgusting." Ruby whispered through the fabric of her tank top. She'd pulled it up over her mouth to cover from the drifting ashes.

"Good ol boys, all of 'em." Daryl said grimly. He knew the type- they all did. If they got found here it wouldn't be pretty. "Let's get out of here, worry about keepin' them away from the house."

"Yeah." Rick nodded but Ruby put her hand on his back as he moved.

"But they aren't getting rid of them. You saw that one on the road, they're too drunk to even realize the walkers are getting loose."

Daryl turned on her, his brow furrowed. "Girlie, you don't want no part of that, I'm tellin' you."

Her eyes met his and she could see the truth there. "Yeah, you're right." She said and Paul looped his finger in the belt loop on her jeans, pulling her low and back the way they had come. She felt Rick behind her and they reached the back of the house quickly. Straightening back up, Ruby shot a look back at Rick and Daryl.

"Who does that?" She asked with a shake of her head.

"You ain't feelin' bad for the walkers, now, are ya?" Daryl drawled as they walked.

"Well, no, but it creeps me the hell out. And that smell pretty much kills any appetite I'm ever going to have." She coughed lightly, unable to get the feel of ash from her mouth.

"It is pretty sick." Paul agreed from behind her.

"What if they come near the house? Or a crispy critter gets away again?" Ruby asked, stepping over a fallen log. The sun was high in the sky and it shone down through the trees prettily. You never would have known there was a human roast a few hundred yards away by just looking at it.

"We won't have to worry about that much longer." Rick said and she looked back at him.

"What do you mean?"

"He means we're movin' up our move out date." Daryl answered. "That about right?"

Rick nodded. "Tomorrow. It's as good as anything else."

"Gotta say, I'm not going miss this place." Paul said.

Rick didn't agree. This was where he'd really found Ruby, and the house wasn't going to be easy to walk away from. Cold shower or not, running water was running water.

The highway looked deserted when they got back to it, but as Daryl's feet hit pavement they caught movement from the right side. He raised his crossbow and dropped a walker that was heading toward the fire. It collapsed in a heap on the grass next to the highway, and he spotted another behind it. That was was also quickly dispatched, and Rick put a hand on Ruby's shoulder, leading her on as Daryl retrieved his arrows. Paul held back a little to watch for the man to return from the bodies, and in a moment they were back behind Rick and Ruby.

"You realize the noise they're making is going to draw every walker in the area." Paul said as they moved through the trees toward the house.

"And probably get themselves killed, too." Rick agreed grimly.

"Bastards would deserve it, being stupid like that. I'm all for killin' those things, man, but that's just... well, that's just fucked up." Daryl said.

"Yeah, you could say that." Ruby said as they emerged into the front yard of the house. They walked around to the back and jogged into the house, locking up behind themselves.

"What happened?" Glenn asked as the others descended the stairs to get report.

"Found a bunch of drunk idiots down the road making a walker bonfire." Daryl said, going to the living room couch and looking out at the street.

"Are they coming here?" Carol asked from the kitchen door, her eyes fearful.

"No." Rick answered firmly. "But we're staying in the rest of the day. Pack your stuff up, we're leaving in the morning."

With the discovery of not only the bad group Paul had spoken of but these new men so much closer, no one thought to argue with Rick. They scattered to spend their last night in the house.


	16. Storm's a comin'

_***By this time you know what I own and what I don't. I trust that holds here._

_****Thanks to you all for the amazing reviews and emails. You guys deserve a lot more than I've been able to put in here, two new jobs and a little guy who constantly likes to wander off of my own have me pretty busy. But here is a new chapter, as always I'm hoping you like it, and I should have one or two more up in the next few days! Yay productivity! Ok, maybe it's more yay new season starting up and lighting a fire under my ass. Whatever. It all ends up cake, right? Oh, and thanks Kit-Cat for the ideas. You rock girly! ;)_

The wind had shifted, and, though it was faint, the smell of smoke hung in the air. Even in the house, it was evident, and everyone picked at the food Carol had made distastefully. It wasn't because of her cooking, and she didn't take it personally. Eventually, Maggie and Glenn excused themselves to go to their room, and soon Lori and Hershel had followed them up to get some rest. Carl had talked his mother into letting him stay up a little longer, and Rick sat on the floor by the empty fireplace with him, talking and laughing quietly.

Ruby and Beth helped Carol pack up the kitchen, chatting quietly as they worked. Ruby glanced back out at the living room from time to time, relishing the vision for what it was. Daryl watching the front yard from the couch and sharpening new arrows with his knife. Rick spending some much needed time with his son. Paul and T-Dog chatting quietly as they cleaned their guns. It was a blissfully peaceful moment in the anarchy that surrounded them.

"I can't help but wonder what we're going to find out there tomorrow." Carol was saying and Ruby brought her attention back to the slender woman as she put canned and jarred food in a wooden crate someone had found somewhere.

"Probably a place just as good as this." Beth said cheerfully.

"I hope so. This house has been good to us." Carol answered sadly. Ruby gave her a small smile.

"Don't worry Carol. They're not going to let anything happen to us."

"Especially Paul. He's really protective." Beth said and Ruby stifled a smile. It was cute, the way she was getting moon eyes over her friend. And Paul, well Paul wasn't being very coy either. He liked the girl, it was clear. Ruby had caught a couple glances between them when they didn't think the other was looking, both at dinner and while they gathered things from the farm up the road.

"I think that's about it." Ruby said, standing back and surveying the empty cabinets. "You guys should get some rest. Rick's probably gonna want to get out of here early."

Carol yawned, a hand over her mouth. "Yeah, probably. Thanks for your help, girls."

"I'm just going to fill the rest of these bottles." Ruby said, going to the sink. They'd already filled every available container with water for the trip, but there were a handful of empty bottles still on the counter.

"Goodnight, Carol." Beth said as the older woman departed to her room. She gave Ruby a little wave and went out to the living room. When Ruby was done she sat the bottles on the sink and walked out to the living room herself.

Rick was gone, probably to take Carl to bed. T grinned at her as he ascended the staircase and she returned it quickly before looking to Daryl at the window. Paul and Beth were sitting on the couch talking, and took little notice of anything else.

"All quiet?" She asked Daryl and sat down beside him on her knees, turned around to look out the slats like he was.

"For now. Wouldn't put it past to have a herd blow through here yet, though." He said in a low voice and she shuddered.

"God, don't say that. Tomorrow is going to be big, you want to get some sleep? I can stay up and watch."

He shook his head. "Nah. I'm good."

"Of course you are. Why did I even bother? Big tough guy." Ruby said jokingly, raising an eyebrow at him. He frowned at her from the corner of his eye, but she saw the traces of a smirk around his mouth.

"Don't you forget it, either."

"You know, you're going to have to let me work on the crossbow a little more, so I don't lose what you taught me."

"When the hell do we have time?" He answered with a roll of his eyes. "You've been pretty wrapped up, anyway."

"Is that why you've been so grumpy? I'm touched." Ruby knew to take the man lightly, don't read too much into his words. He could be a fireball if he wanted to.

"Yes. I've been less than sunshine because you're not spending time with me. How ever did you guess?" He said sarcastically and she chuckled.

"Kidding, Daryl. Breath. I just think you shut down a little when Paul came. We were having a good time out there, weren't we?"

"No I didn't." He said defensively. "Guy's fine by me, long as he pulls his weight."

It was enough small talk for one night, she knew. Rick came silently down the stairs and caught her eye, and she let out a deep breath. "Alright, then. I'll see you in the morning, then. You change your mind and want to get some sleep, come and get me."

He grunted and she left the couch. Paul stood with her and Beth gave him and the rest of the room a smile as she went upstairs.

"I'll be in in a second." She said to Rick softly and stopped in the dining room. He nodded and passed her, going into her room and shutting the door.

"Well, two nights in an actual bed was better than nothing." Paul groaned as he sat down on the side of the cot and pulled off his boots.

"Enjoy it tonight. God knows where we're going to be sleeping tomorrow." She sighed and leaned back against the dining room table.

"It'll be fine. You always did like the west coast. Maybe we'll go all the way to the ocean." He grinned and she laughed lightly.

"For all the good it'll do you. You won't go near the water."

He shrugged. "I wasn't born with gills. Swimming is unnatural."

"You are the strangest person." She chuckled and leaned down, kissing his cheek. "I'm glad to see you're making friends, by the way. Beth is cute."

"Goodnight Starlet." Paul said firmly, but his eyes sparkled sweetly.

She smiled, shaking her head. "Whatever. 'Night, Paul."

He laid down and she blew out his candle before going to her room. Rick was already in bed, the window behind him open. The smell had already permeated the area, it wasn't going to be made worse now. He raised his head as she entered and went to the vanity. She took down her hair and brushed it out, looking at him in the mirror as she did so. He was shirtless, and the candlelight danced off her shoulders and chest, and his dark brown hair. He looked especially handsome as he gazed back at her, and she shivered a little.

"What time are we leaving tomorrow?" She asked.

"After daybreak I figure."

"Maybe I should shower tonight then." She said, sniffing her long dark hair. The smell of smoke was sticking to her.

"They'll be time in the morning, come here." He said and she turned, unbuttoning her jeans as she moved. She kicked them off and curled up on the mattress next to him. He ran a hand up her stomach, and leaned his lips down to hers.

Despite her tiredness, Ruby was awake a mere two hours after she and Rick had fallen asleep in each others arms. She laid there for a while and listened to the sounds of the crickets outside, feeling the slight breeze blow through the window slats. Cool against her skin, so different from the baking sun of midday that was to come. In the distance she heard the unmistakeable sounds of rumbling thunder, deep and dark in the distance. She turned her head and saw Rick's sleeping face outlined in moonlight, so peaceful as he slept. His usual tensely set jaw was relaxed and the frown gone from his brow. He really was beautiful, so much younger when he wasn't fighting for his life.

Ruby sat up quietly and slipped out of the bed. Going to her dresser, she grabbed a few things and left the room soundlessly. Paul lay on the cot against the far wall snoring lightly, and the house was dark and quiet, patches of moonlight in crazy patterns on the floor. The living room lay still, but as she passed through the doorway and headed to the right, she saw Daryl's head move in the shadows and look over at her. She paused and walked over to him at the couch where he had obviously been keeping watch.

"There's a storm coming." She whispered, and he peered back out at the front yard lazily. His hair hung over his permanently narrowed eyes, and the moon lit up his face in stripes.

"I heard that. Haven't had one in a while, I was wondering when it was gonna break. It wake you up?" He asked in a low voice.

"No. I couldn't sleep anyway. Thought I'd get a shower." She sat down next to him and looked out at the wind swaying the trees outside dramatically. It was coming fast, she could tell. Thunder rumbled again and she let out a breath.

"Probably a good idea. Not gonna be able to get in there once the women get up." He said and she chuckled, not knowing whether to be offended by that. She decided against it. It was actually more of a compliment than anything.

"You think it's gonna stop us from getting out of here today?" She asked.

He shook his head. "These summer storms come and go fast. We'll be gone by noon at the latest."

"When I'm done you can get cleaned up if you want. I'll keep watch. You know, before the women get up." She said lightly and he actually chuckled a little.

"You know what I meant." He said. "But yeah. I'll do that. Now, go on."

"Sir, yes sir." She joked and left, tapping her way quietly up the stairs and to the empty, darkened bathroom. Lighting the candle left there, she shivered as she stripped off her dirty clothes. The scent of smoke came back to her for a moment and she stepped under the freezing water, anxious to erase every trace of the smell from her skin and hair. She took a little longer than she usually did, but then again, who knew the next time she'd get a chance to shower?

When she got out, she wrapped a towel around her and went to the sink. She brushed her teeth and her hair, looking at her reflection by candlelight in the glass. It was eerie, and perfect in the new world they'd found themselves in. The brightly lit tiled bathrooms she'd loved in the hotel rooms she'd stayed in for work were a thing of the past. Now it was all shadows and spiderwebs. They lived in the dark now, metaphorically at least.

She pulled on her jeans and blue tank top, and quickly braided her hair. Wrapping it in a tight bun on her head, she pinned it quickly and left the bathroom. Dropping her pile of belongings on a chair nearby she took the seat next to Daryl again and listened as the thunder, now a lot louder, rumble deep in the air and vibrate in her chest.

Lightening flashed in the sky causing the room to flash brightly. If people were hoping to sleep they were gonna be out of luck, this was going to be a bad one.

"Your turn." She said softly and he glanced over at her like he had just noticed her.

"Huh." He grunted. "Yeah. Keep sharp. They get active when it storms, I've seen it."

"You got it. Leave me your gun. I left mine in the bedroom." She said and he pulled his sidearm from his holster and turned it around, handing it to her handle first. She took it and put it on the couch beside her, resting her chin on her hands as she looked outside. Daryl padded silently away and she could hear the water turn on upstairs after a few moments.

"Starlet? What's wrong?" Paul's sleepy voice startled her and she jumped, whipping her head around to see him standing in the doorway between the dining room and the living room.

"Nothing. I couldn't sleep so I took over watch while Daryl got a shower." She answered softly. "You should go back to sleep, Paul. Get it while you can."

He came and sat down beside her, leaning back on the couch and letting out a low groan. "Can't. Storm woke me up. How's it looking out there?"

Lightening flashed again, brighter this time, and the room went daylight for a split second. "Big." She answered. "It's actually kind of nice. Maybe it'll take that smoke out of the air. It took everything I had to get the smell of that out of my hair."

He chuckled and leaned forward, looking out at the sky with her. "I think you smell like that stuff you used to use. What was it? Hyacinth?"

She looked at him with disbelieving eyes. "How the holy hell did you remember that?"

He shrugged. "I've spent the last six years surrounded by women. My brain is filled with volumes of useless knowledge. I could teach a class."

She grinned and shook her head, and a sharp crack of thunder shook the house. "Oh wow." She breathed, her heart in her mouth. She heard a door open in the house and Rick rounded the dining room wall almost frantically. When he saw her on the couch, his shoulder fell slightly and he let out a breath harshly.

"There you are." He said and she tilted her head at him with an amused smile.

"Yeah, I was going to go jogging, but I wanted to wait till after the storm passed."

"Now, who's hilarious?" He sighed, stifling a yawn as he came and took a chair nearby. He leaned back in it and they listened to the thunder crack again, the room flashing brightly twice right after. The sound of a fat raindrop hit the window in front of Ruby and she looked up at the sky.

"Here comes the rain." She said just as the sky broke. They sat quietly together, and listened to wild storm hit them full force.

Paul leaned forward after several minutes and frowned at he peered outside. "What's wrong?" Ruby asked and Rick's eyes snapped open.

"Thought I saw something." He said, narrowing his eyes and Ruby got in close to him to follow his gaze. The trees whipped around wildly outside the yard as the rain fell in sheets, blurring their vision. "There it is again." He said and she saw movement in the trees, pale and fuzzy in the distance.

"Walkers?" Rick asked, standing up and coming behind them to look. Lightening flashed and they could clearly see three shapes drifting across the trees and into the yard at the far right of the space.

"Told you the storm makes 'em active." Daryl said from the stairs, startling them all. The storm had been so loud they hadn't heard him come back.

"We can't get out there. We'll be sitting ducks." Ruby said.

"Yeah, well, at least the thunder'll cover the sounds of the gunshots. We'll wait till they get closer and try to time it right." Rick spoke, pulling his python.

"If the house wasn't awake before it will be now." Ruby said darkly. "What if the freaks from the fire hear it?"

"They won't be able to get a bead on where it came from." Daryl said, taking his weapon back from the couch where Ruby had sat it.

"We should go upstairs. Have a better shot." Rick said, backing up a step.

"Don't need to. I can take 'em out from here." Daryl said, going to the dining room. He took a long range rifle from the table and checked it quickly before going to the window nearest to him.

Ruby looked back to the walkers and stilled herself for the shots to come. The things had cleared the yard and were about halfway to the house. They weren't paying much attention to anything, just following each other almost in a line, meandering to some unknown destination. The rain had matted their stringy hair to their decaying scalps, but washed a lot of the dried blood from the their faces. Holes appeared in the first one's cheeks, showing old teeth through the skin. Suddenly, Ruby realized that one of them looked familiar. She remembered the bonfire, watching the beefy rednecks hoot and holler around the pit they'd made. One of them, a tall, portly man with a red plaid shirt, the sleeves torn off, had stood off to the side watching the melee. Now he was walking across their yard, between two of the things he'd been helping to burn alive. Daryl had been right.

"You see that?" She said, and Rick came and leaned over the couch above her, a hand on each side of her shoulders and resting on the back as he looked out. "It's one of the guys from the bonfire."

"Told you they'd get what they deserved, bein' so fuckin' stupid." Daryl said from the dining room and aimed. The gunshot was partially covered by a thunderclap, but Ruby still jumped a little at the rapport. The plaid walker dropped and Rick put a hand on her shoulder, pulling her back a few inches and holding her tightly. Daryl fired twice more and both of the other walkers hit the ground. Unfortunately, the shots weren't quite so well covered and doors began to open upstairs. Carol appeared at the door and Ruby looked back at her, frowning at the woman's tense, apprehensive expression. She tapped Rick's hand and he let her go.

"What's going on?" Carol asked as Ruby reached her.

"Nothing. The storm woke up a few walkers. Daryl took care of it, they didn't even get that close to the house."

The woman's frown deepened. "With the storm and the walkers, you really think we should be leaving right now? Maybe we should stay another day."

Ruby shook her head. "No, Rick's right. We need to get going, and if we don't, this is just going to keep happening."

"Well, I guess we _are_ all packed." Carol wrung her hands nervously, but took a deep breath and forced a smile.

"Right. Try to relax, take some time to yourself. We'll be on the road soon enough."

"Alright." Carol said, returning to her room and shutting the door quietly behind her. When Ruby returned to the living room, T-Dog was standing beside Rick at the window speaking quietly, and she saw Glenn going back up the stairs. Paul saw her and got up from the couch, following her back to her bedroom.

"The storm isn't letting up." He said, leaning in the doorway as she got a pair of socks and tugged them on.

"You think it'll bring more walkers?" She asked.

"Probably. But we'll take care of it."

"What do you think happened to the rest of those guys? You think they're all walkers?" She untied her ankle boots and slid her foot into one.

"The way they were going on, I wouldn't doubt it." He said, drifting in and sitting on the bed next to her. His face was drawn again, tense the way it was every time they came up against walkers. She understood. He'd only had to watch out for her and Sarah for so long and that turned out a complete failure to him. Now he had a whole house to be a part of. It had to make a person a little crazy just thinking about it.

She tied up her other boot and leaned against him, her head on his shoulder. "I actually think I'm looking forward to leaving here."

"Ruby?" Rick's voice came from the dining room and he put his head through the door as another gunshot sounded from the front window.

"Are they still coming?" She asked him and he nodded.

"Just two more." He answered as the second shot sounded and the house fell quiet. The sound of rain on the roof the only noise for the moment.

"More of the bonfire guys?" She asked.

"No, been dead a long time from the looks of it." Rick stepped in and leaned against the wall. Paul let out a deep breath and stood up.

"I'm gonna get cleaned up, be ready to go when the storm lets up. You need me, Rick, just yell."

Rick nodded his thanks and Paul left the room, closing the door after him. Ruby stood and grabbed the empty suitcase from the open closet and laid it out on the bed. She quietly went to the dresser and began pulling things out and packing them away.

"What's wrong?" Rick asked, coming up behind her at the dresser. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her back to his chest.

"Nothing. I guess I'm a little tired." She said, yawning softly into her hand.

"You can sleep in the truck if you want. I'll pack it with blankets for you."

"You're sweet." She smiled, looking up at him. He kissed her softly, his hand grazing her chin lightly.

"You're worried about those fire idiots for the same reason I am, aren't you?" He asked, looking into her eyes. He knew already that she'd been on edge since seeing the spectacle yesterday, and they often thought along the same lines.

"Because if they're walkers, they'll be on the road? Or because if they're not, they'll still be on the road, but they'll shoot back at us?" She asked, turning the corner of her mouth down. She refocused on the task at hand, folding a couple shirts from the drawer.

"Pretty much. But look, if they do see us, we'll deal with it. Move fast and quiet, and most likely, we'll be past them before they know it, down the road and forgotten." He said, rubbing her back comfortingly.

"You're right. Don't worry about me." She said, moving past him and putting the last of her clothes in the suitcase. "It sounds like the storm is letting up."

He listened for a moment, and indeed the rain had softened and the thunder was lower, moving away in the distance and paced much farther apart. "Yeah, sounds like."

"You've got a whole house to get ready to move. I'll pack your things with mine, ok? No worries." She smiled at him convincingly and he returned it before slipping out the door and into the increasingly active house. Looks like those gunshots had killed any hope of sleep for the rest of that night.


	17. Freedom on the back of a bike

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC character, Ruby, however, and I adore her._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression._

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I am a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little._

_Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

Like a giant indicator of their anxiety, the sun never fully re-emerged as they left the house and started out toward parts unknown. Rick glanced at his watch as he slid behind the wheel of the large black truck they had gotten from the killers, and saw it was just after 7. The sky was a mixture of new dawn and the pale colors from a storm retreating. It had rained steady ever since the thunder had first woken him. If they had to off road it, it was going to be a bitch.

Paul sat beside him, Ruby and Beth in the backseat of the large cab, chatting quietly with Carl between them. The boy had won the right to go with his dad after not quite as much fighting as he expected. Maybe Lori was tired, but whatever it was, he didn't question it and now sat happily between the girls, peering out over the seats to the road below. It was a large truck, he felt very tall in it, and he enjoyed it. Rick caught his eye and winked once, earning a beaming grin from his son.

Daryl picked the way ahead for them, as usual. Carol was going to ride with him, she always liked to do it, but with the threat of the bonfire men still hanging in the air Daryl had told her to stay with Lori and Hershel in the SUV. T-Dog, Glenn, and Maggie headed up the rear in the Matrix, and every vehicle was loaded to brim with food and things gathered from their time at the house.

Rick stayed tense as they got away from the house, heading west, back the way they had come before they had found Ruby. Not the ideal situation, perhaps, but it was away from the prison and that was good enough for the moment. He didn't relax until they were a clear two miles away from the spot on the road the charred walker had fallen.

"The smell is gone at least." Beth had said as they'd passed the blackened and wet remains on the pavement, not sparing more than a tiny, disgusted glance down.

"Thank god." Ruby had grimaced and returned to casual chat with Carl. She liked the boy, his inquisitiveness holding a certain charm for her. They played rock, paper, scissors, anything to pass the time and hold off the anxious thoughts they all had.

Walkers were fewer and farther between as they drove, and by the time the sun had begun to set, Rick realized they hadn't seen one in the better part of an hour, and even that one was off in the distance past a field to their right. He made the signal to stop when he found a place along the road that looked passable for a impromptu camping spot, and pulled behind Daryl to the side of the road. Silence fell over the group as they quickly pulled tents and cots from the vehicles and set them up in a semi circle inside the safety of a larger semi circle formed by the cars.

"Ruby, will you get the plates out so we can eat?" Carol asked when Ruby had finished helping Maggie and Glen set up tents, and she went to search the Matrix trunk for the box Carol had put them in earlier.

Paul came up behind her as she searched, his fists on his hips, eyes scanning the surrounding trees. Ruby looked back at him curiously. "Got a bad feeling?" She asked.

"No, not really." He gave a subtle shake of his head. "Just wishing we had walls made of more than canvas right now."

"You and me both." She grunted as she found the box and lifted the heavy thing up onto the bumper.

"I got it, Starlet." Paul said, taking it from her and they walked back to the group now surrounding a small fire. "Feels cooler, doesn't it? Weather is changing."

"It's about time. But I can't say I'm looking forward to the snow. It's going to be hard getting by in that, you know." She looked up at him nervously.

"Got plenty of time before that happens." He assured her as he sat the box down by Carol and she and Maggie began dishing out the simple dinner of veggies and fruit to the group. Ruby took a place between Rick and Paul at the fire, and stared into the flames absently as she listened to the quiet chatter around her.

"You ok?" Rick leaned into her after a moment, speaking quietly.

She snapped out of her daze and looked around the group. "Yeah, I'm good. Where's Daryl?"

"In the trees somewhere. He wanted to make sure nothing was close by before it got too dark." He said. Sure enough, as if on cue the hunter emerged from the dense foliage and made his way back to the group. He squatted across from them and wiped some mud from his hands on the grass below.

"Looks empty enough for now." He said and Rick nodded.

"We'll keep watch in shifts, then. I can take first."

Rick took a perch on the bed of a truck in front of them after dinner, leaving T-Dog to watch the other side. The night air was crisp and breezy, stars shining like beacons in the heavens, lighting the camp with a soft glow. Once everyone had retreated to tents or pallets around them, Paul looked up at Ruby as she drug a few blankets and pillows over to him by the dying embers of the fire.

"You're not taking a tent?"

She shook her head. "I'd rather stay out here with you guys."

He shook his head at her stubbornness, but smiled as she sat down next to him and wrapped one of the blankets around her shoulders. Someone had brought a fallen log closer and he leaned back against it, draping a heavy arm around her and letting her snuggle into his side. "Get some sleep, Starlet. No worries." He said softly, resting his chin on the top of her head affectionately. She watched Rick through increasingly heavy eyelids, and when he looked back to her once she raised her fingers to her lips, kissing them and blowing it toward him quietly. He smiled lovingly at her and went back to watching the darkness. A few hours later, when Daryl came to relieve him, he grabbed a spare blanket Ruby had sat aside for him and fell asleep quickly.

The camp woke with the sun, and when Rick opened his eyes he saw Carol hunched over the bags of food, searching for their breakfast. Paul was keeping watch nearby, and when he didn't see Ruby he looked at the man quickly. Paul saw, and pointed behind them, where Maggie, Ruby, and Beth were returned from using the bathroom behind the tents. He stood, stretched, and found Daryl, who was packing his saddlebags on the bike.

"I want to try and find a house next time. This out in the open is nerve wracking." He said and the hunter grunted at him softly.

"Done it before. Probably do it again."

Hershel emerged from Lori's tent and approached them slowly, his bones obviously achy from sleeping on the hard ground. "Lori's going to have to take it easier, Rick. Get as much sleep as she can. I think we should let her have the backseat of the SUV while we travel, give her a chance to stretch out."

"Good idea. We'll move people around." Rick nodded, and went back to the group who had all gathered around to eat, making a general announcement. "Be ready to leave in half an hour."

Blankets were gathered, tents and cots packed back up, and people were climbing into the vehicles when Ruby found Rick. "Morning." She said, smiling up at him sweetly and he had to stop himself from wrapping his arms around her in front of everyone.

"Morning. How'd you sleep?"

"Hard. You get enough rest? Gonna be long day"

"I've had less, and that was before all this started." He grinned. "Ready to get back on the road?"

"A world of yes. It's kinda creepy out here. You feel it?"

"I think we all got used to the house." He agreed with her. And the farm, he thought. But that had been taken away too. It was a never ending cycle of fear and running, the slight times of close-to-peace moments only served to make times like this more tense. Having her here was making it bearable, but also scarier in a way. The thought that he had one more thing that he cared about so much to lose was terrifying.

Daryl made his way to them and scratched his forehead absently, looking up the road a ways. Sighing, he looked back down at Ruby. "You feel like a little fresh air for a while? Can't be comfortable piled in that truck with everybody."

"You mean ride with you?" She asked, slightly surprised. "You don't mind? Carol is in the truck now too, you sure she doesn't want to go with you instead?"

He shook his head. "She didn't get much sleep. Likely she'd fall asleep more than not."

"I'd love to, thanks." She grinned lightly at him. It took a longer-than-usual look to Rick to ensure him she would be fine, and he watched her back like a hawk as she climbed up behind the hunter on the bike. A moment later, they shot gravel from the roadside underneath them as they began the trek to God-knows-where again.

The wind blew her hair free of the ponytail she had tucked up on her head as they rode, and she reveled in the feeling of freedom she felt. Knotting her hands in the flannel shirt Daryl wore, she didn't try to talk over the rushing wind. Once, he nudged her and pointed to the left. Far away in a field ahead she saw a small group of what might have been farm horses at one time but were now grazing freely. She grinned up at him, thinking Maggie would like that. The girl had told her of her own horses on the farm, and she knew Maggie missed them quite a bit.

"They're beautiful!" She shouted and he shrugged slightly.

"If I knew it'd keep, I'd shoot one. Horse meat's good." He answered loudly and she frowned a little. Thinking of killing something so beautiful when there wasn't a lot of beauty around anymore was less than appealing, but she could understand where he was coming from.

"Is there anything you won't kill and eat?" She teased.

"Can't much stomach bugs." He said with a tilted grin and she laughed softly. He was a trip.

Round about the time her ass felt like it would be numb forever, Rick gave the signal to pull over and she could have kissed him for it. There was no way in hell she was going to whine about it after Daryl's offer to bring her along- she didn't want him to think she couldn't handle it.

"That was awesome, Daryl. Thanks." She said, climbing down and stretching her legs, shaking out the numbness.

"We'll do it again." He grunted and went to patrol the area with T-Dog while Maggie and Carol scrounged up something for them all to eat. As Ruby passed the SUV behind them, she saw Lori curled up still sleeping, and silently thanked god for the brief reprieve of the woman's presence.

"Have fun?" Rick asked her as she joined the rest of the group in a circle nearby.

"Better than a roller coaster." She grinned. "Don't tell anybody but that was the first time I've ever been on a motorcycle. I think I strangled Daryl a little."

"He'll live. Could have fooled me, though. You looked pretty comfortable." He said, leaning against the large truck.

"You sound a little jealous." She raised an eyebrow playfully and he chuckled.

"Would you hold it against me?" He was just as playful and she grinned back at him.

"I'd rather hold something else against you."

He took a deep breath at her cheekiness. "Girl, you're gonna kill me one of these days." No one was looking and he slyly squeezed her rear end as she passed him, chuckling between each other. If he didn't get her alone again soon he might explode, and he had to focus as he followed her to the others.

"There haven't been as many walkers around here, you guys notice? Maybe we should find a place to stop." Glenn said as they ate.

"I don't think we've looked long enough." Paul shook his head, frowning.

"We'll keep going a while, I think. We're only halfway into Mississippi." Rick agreed through a large bite of apple.

"I think we should head for east Texas. Big cities are few and far between there, could be safer." Paul said, and Ruby looked up to see Daryl approaching the group, a couple dead rabbits clutched in his hand. He laid them down near Carol and she gave him an approving smile.

"What do you think about east Texas?" She asked him and he frowned.

"I think it'll take a week to get there, if we're lucky. Low on gas again and the cars we've been coming up on are mostly out. Looks like there's been a lot of people with the same idea through here before." He considered the thought as he accepted the food she gave him.

"Still, wide open places. No big city nearby. Could be good." Maggie chimed in.

"Well, we'll head that way. Might make it all the way there... might find a good place before then." Rick sat back on his haunches and bit his lip thoughtfully. "We'll just have to take it as it comes."

"We'll be fine with whatever you decide Rick. You've gotten us this far already." Hershel said and wiped his hands on his pants' legs. They chatted a little more briefly, and before long Rick found himself in the passenger seat of the truck with Ruby and Carl behind him. Paul had offered to drive when he'd seen how worn out Rick had looked, and Rick had accepted the help. He leaned against the door and crossed his arms over his chest, settling in as comfortably as he could. The sounds of quiet conversation in the truck lulled him to sleep, and he dreamed over his days on the police force, sitting in his cruiser with Shane at his side.

The sun was due to set in about an hour when Ruby leaned up and scratched Rick's shoulder softly. "Hey, I'm sorry to wake you up." She whispered, and he started awake, looking around the cab frantically. She gave him an apologetic look and he calmed quickly, realizing there was no emergency.

"I miss anything?" He yawned, and looked back, seeing Carl leaning back napping peacefully, beside a similarly sleeping Beth.

"Passed a few houses a ways back but they were pretty torn up." She answered.

"Thought we should try to find one before nightfall though." Paul continued for her, and Rick nodded. "Saw some signs for a little town ahead. What do you want to do?"

Rick reached for the map he'd tucked into the truck's glove box and opened it quickly. Scanning the paper, and pointed ahead. "We'll stay out of the main drag, but there's a road should be up ahead. I bet we find something there."

"Walkers." Ruby said the word softly, and everyone's head snapped over to where she had pointed between the men to the right. Four shambling figures were crossing an overgrown hay field, and Rick frowned. Daryl lifted an arm ahead of them, indicating he'd seen them too, but they picked up their speed and passed the field before the figures were even halfway to them.

"Keep going. And hope that's not an indication of what we're about to walk into." Rick ordered and Paul revved the engine a little more.

The road Rick had seen on the map came up, and with a slight beep of the horn, they announced to Daryl to turn off. They moved a little slower then, picking their way through the slightly more crowded roadway. Just past a large travel bus that was overturned on the side of the highway, the corn and hay fields parted and they found themselves driving into what once might have been a more populated area. Houses lay within distance of each other of a half mile or so, the kind of place the upper middle class would settle. Not farmers at all like the house they had left far behind, just people who had money and liked nicer things, a little privacy with neighbors close enough to be useful but not get in the way.

"Doesn't look horrible." Ruby murmured.

"Not the kind of place we usually go for, either. The houses have too many windows, they're too close together, could walk right into a big group and not know it until they were on top of us." Rick shook his head and scratched at his denim clad knee in frustration. Paul was right, the sun would be setting soon. Even now the deep purple and orange flames had started stretching across the sky in anticipation.

Paul opened his mouth to answer but the sound of a horn behind them startled them all.

"What the hell?" Paul knotted his eyebrows in confusion as Ruby and Rick turned around in their seats to see what the problem was. Glenn had been driving behind them with Maggie, Hershel, and Lori, and the young man had stopped, hopped out, and was jogging after their still crawling cars. "Damn..." Paul cursed and brought the large truck to a halt, waking Beth and Carl instantly.

"Dad?" Carl said sleepily, but was immediately alert when he saw Rick exit the truck in a flash and run back to the stopped vehicle behind them.

Daryl had pulled the bike over and gripped his crossbow tightly in his hand as he came back to the truck that Ruby was still in, trying her best to keep Carl calm. From the muffled voices and concerned look on Hershel's face, this wasn't going to be any good.

"Wonder what's wrong." Ruby said softly to him, leaving Carl in Beth's grasp and hopping down out of the truck.

"Nothin that wasn't gonna happen sooner or later." Daryl said grimly and she frowned at him.

"Well, that's dire." She said, fully intending to school him that women had been having babies for millions of years. Lori was fully capable of pulling it off now, but his harsh gaze cut her off, and made her breath catch in her throat. He looked from her to Paul, who had come up behind her suddenly, and when he turned on his heel and went to keep watch nearby she let out a deep breath.

"What was that about?" Paul had a wary eye on Daryl's back as he spoke, his side almost pressed to her shoulder protectively.

"He's worried, same as us." Ruby crossed her arms over her chest and watched as Carl wriggled free of Beth and ran back to where Hershel was hunched by the open car door, Rick in front of him and shielded from sight. "What's going on?"

"She's bleeding, from what I heard." Paul said softly and Ruby felt a sense of dread creep through her stomach.

"We have to get her somewhere stable so I can do a proper examination, Rick." Hershel was saying as he and Rick stepped back and away from the car, and into Ruby and Paul's earshot. Tentatively, the four of them met in the middle.

"We'll try and take one of these houses." Rick was tense, determined, and Ruby hadn't seen that look on his face since the day she'd met him. It actually frightened her and little, and she took a step nearer Paul, who threw a heavy arm over her shoulder.

"Well, let's do it fast." Daryl came up behind them and Ruby jumped a little. "We're gonna need every bit of this daylight."


	18. More than he can handle

***Due to a mistake, this chapter was erased. I am doing my best to fix it, but please be patient. To hold my place, I am posting the last few moments of the last chapter. I'm SOOOO sorry!

"What the hell?" Paul knotted his eyebrows in confusion as Ruby and Rick turned around in their seats to see what the problem was. Glenn had been driving behind them with Maggie, Hershel, and Lori, and the young man had stopped, hopped out, and was jogging after their still crawling cars. "Damn..." Paul cursed and brought the large truck to a halt, waking Beth and Carl instantly.

"Dad?" Carl said sleepily, but was immediately alert when he saw Rick exit the truck in a flash and run back to the stopped vehicle behind them.

Daryl had pulled the bike over and gripped his crossbow tightly in his hand as he came back to the truck that Ruby was still in, trying her best to keep Carl calm. From the muffled voices and concerned look on Hershel's face, this wasn't going to be any good.

"Wonder what's wrong." Ruby said softly to him, leaving Carl in Beth's grasp and hopping down out of the truck.

"Nothin that wasn't gonna happen sooner or later." Daryl said grimly and she frowned at him.

"Well, that's dire." She said, fully intending to school him that women had been having babies for millions of years. Lori was fully capable of pulling it off now, but his harsh gaze cut her off, and made her breath catch in her throat. He looked from her to Paul, who had come up behind her suddenly, and when he turned on his heel and went to keep watch nearby she let out a deep breath.

"What was that about?" Paul had a wary eye on Daryl's back as he spoke, his side almost pressed to her shoulder protectively.

"He's worried, same as us." Ruby crossed her arms over her chest and watched as Carl wriggled free of Beth and ran back to where Hershel was hunched by the open car door, Rick in front of him and shielded from sight. "What's going on?"

"She's bleeding, from what I heard." Paul said softly and Ruby felt a sense of dread creep through her stomach.

"We have to get her somewhere stable so I can do a proper examination, Rick." Hershel was saying as he and Rick stepped back and away from the car, and into Ruby and Paul's earshot. Tentatively, the four of them met in the middle.

"We'll try and take one of these houses." Rick was tense, determined, and Ruby hadn't seen that look on his face since the day she'd met him. It actually frightened her and little, and she took a step nearer Paul, who threw a heavy arm over her shoulder.

"Well, let's do it fast." Daryl came up behind them and Ruby jumped a little. "We're gonna need every bit of this daylight."


	19. Break

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC characters, Ruby and Paul, however, and I adore them._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression._

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I was a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little. Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

_(So, check it out, guys! TWO new chapters in one day! My muse decided to make an unexpected return, and she brought cookies, so, after staying up all night for work I popped these two babies out before bed. I truly hope you like it. Watching the show, I loved how they did Lori and T-Dog's death (awww. T-Dog!), and I hope it doesn't look like I'm copying here. The deaths aren't over, but I'm not saying when or who. The reviews I've been getting have been awesome, you guys, and I truly, truly appreciate it. I love you all, and Taylyons, Musashi, Padme, Summer, and Emberka, as well as Kit-Cat- you guys are my reason for writing. Your kind words have warmed my heart and I cannot apologize enough for not updating sooner. I pull, like, a 75 an hour work week and I never get to sleep, so thanks for bearing with me here. Even WorkIt- you didn't care for the story as much but you provided criticism in a open and gracious manner, plus you made a very good point that I intend to work on, and for that I am grateful. See? I wish other people would realize that we're all just people here, and you can be nice about it, doesn't have to be hurtful to give negative feedback, right? Take care guys, and I'll update again soon! 3 )_

Rick felt the sunshine before he opened his eyes. He was on his back, looking up at a brilliant blue sky through the branches of a massive tree. He blinked, pressing his eyes closed tightly before opening them again. A faintly warm breeze blew over his face, and he realized he felt light, like he could float away at any moment.

"Hey. You're awake."

It was Lori's voice, calm and steady, from somewhere near. Sitting up, he saw her in front of him, sitting on a checkered blanket in the pretty blue dress she wore when they first were married. Her hair was loose and blew softly around her face, and she was smiling.

"Where are we?" He asked, but his own mind answered the question as he spoke. It was a park not far from her mother and father's house. A place they had frequented on pretty summer days when they were young, and again after Carl had been born. They would take a picnic and push him on the swings, reveling in their child's bright laughter.

She didn't answer his question, instead smiling patiently at him. "Been waiting for you to wake up for a while."

"Sorry." He tilted his head to the side. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Hours. You must have needed it."

Something wasn't right. He felt like he was supposed to remember something but he just couldn't. Frowning a little, he tried to clear his mind. It was fuzzy, like he was still asleep. "Lori, what happened?"

"You'll remember, but enjoy now, Rick. It's important." She seemed sad.

He looked around them, suddenly feeling very uneasy. "Where's Carl?"

"Playing with Shane." She pointed behind him and he turned. Across a short distance, he could see Carl holding a baseball bat. He was looking off to the right and Rick followed his gaze. Shane was looking back at the boy, his back to Rick and baseball in his hand. He looked like he did years ago, laughing and smiling easily, before he went so very very wrong. He tossed the ball to Carl and the boy swung, the sound of the bat hitting the ball echoed back to he and Lori, followed by the sound of laughter.

Looking back at Lori, Rick shook his head. "This isn't right. Something's wrong."

She let out a low breath and shook her head. "I know. But it's the way things are now. You can't go back."

He was suddenly afraid, and whipped back around to find Carl again, but the boy was gone. Instead, Shane remained, but he was no longer the cheerful guy that had been tossing the ball. It was the way he looked after he'd turned, when Carl had shot him. Blood smeared his freshly broken nose and his bald head and face had turned a sickening gray. Stifling a cry of horror, Rick looked back to where Lori was sitting, but all that was left there was a large pool of blood marring the clean blanket she'd been sitting on. In her place, there was a wrapped, tiny bundle that lay motionless. The sky became dark, flashed with lightening and a sharp gust of wind hit him with a force that seemed to push him back a little. His stomach churned dangerously.

Rick woke with a start. It had been a dream. Thank god, just a dream, and he was... where was he? He didn't recognize the bed he found himself on, or the dim darkness enveloping him. His brain fought to become coherent, to get his memory back on board, but when it did he felt that overwhelming sickness in the dream wash over him again, and he retched audibly.

"Rick. It's ok, I'm here." He heard Ruby's voice, and her cool hands were on his face. "Breath, Rick. Just breath."

The memories came back to him all at once, and he very literally had to lay back again. The birth, Lori's turning and the gunshot, the screaming, T-Dog falling under the rotting body of the walker and Daryl running from the house.

"Oh god..." He moaned and put his palms into his eyes, pressing hard as if he were going to push the thoughts out physically.

"I know. I know, Rick. Breath..." She consoled softly, letting the sobs wrack his body and holding him tightly. He wasn't sure how long they stayed there like that, his head in her lap and his breath heaving and catching as he struggled for air. His grief was quiet but steady, a testament to the man himself.

After a while, he allowed his swollen eyes to open, and stay open. Soft moonlight lit the room only barely enough to make out shapes in the darkness, and he realized they were in the back bedroom on the first floor of the house they had cleared. Moving slightly, he saw that a large dressing bureau had been pushed to almost completely block the window. The light shown in through a space of about a foot on the top. They lay on the medium size bed in the room, and he could see her sad face above him, looking at him with such compassion he knew that everything he remembered had actually happened.

"Carl?" He whispered.

"He's with Carol. He's safe."

"Where is everybody else?"

"After... everything... Daryl and Paul secured the house. Found some candles and stuff and they're out there, waiting for you. But take your time. We don't have to move for a while."

"Oh god..." He sighed, his breath catching again, and his hands found his face, rubbing hard.

"I'm so sorry, Rick." She rubbed his cheek gently. "They are just outside, we can give them a good burial tomorrow."

"What happened to the baby?" He clearly didn't want to ask, but couldn't help it.

"You sure you want to talk about this now?" She asked tentatively.

He sat up, anger flooding his body. "What happened to the baby?"

She let out a deep breath. "Hershel thinks the baby died a little while ago, Lori must have gotten infected. He's..."

He looked at her intently. "He's what?"

She pressed her lips together. "He got scratched, Rick. He hasn't turned, I don't know if he will, but Paul and the girls are keeping him separate for a while, watching him."

It was the last straw for him. He felt anger rushing through his body with a will all his own. Pushing away from Ruby he stood and crossed to the door, tearing it open and slamming it against the wall with a loud thud. Instead of trying to stop him, Ruby just followed behind him anxiously. He marched down the hallway and into the large living room, where he saw Glenn and Maggie huddled near a candle lit in the center. Daryl sat on the floor by the sliding glass door, watching through covering that had been placed over the openings to block any light. He stood quickly when he saw Rick, his fingers reflexively tightening on his crossbow.

"Where is she?" Rick demanded, and Daryl's eyes narrowed. He knew better than to fight Rick just yet, and he shot Ruby a look that said for her to stay back.

"This way." Daryl said and gestured to the garage. Rick moved past him quickly and Ruby followed Daryl after him. Throwing the door to the garage open, Rick's eyes fought to adjust to the blackness. A light from behind him, lighting the shapes of bodies on the ground. Ruby had grabbed a candle from the counter, and stood in the doorway with Daryl, watching him. He stepped back and grabbed it from her, and stepped forward again. The bloated bodies of the homeowner and the child were against one wall, further down were two covered forms, and from the outlines he could tell which one was Lori. He stepped forward and went to his knees next to her. When he began to pull the cover back Daryl put a hand on Ruby's shoulder.

"Just let him do it." He said softly, and pulled her back toward him a little. She looked at him, almost frightened, and then back at Rick's who sat there, unmoving. Finally, she nodded, and let Daryl lead her back to the living room.

Ruby sat on the couch near Maggie, who had long ago drifted off into a fitful sleep, and she stared into the flickering candle flame. The silence was only broken by the sound of Glenn's deep breathing from the floor on the other side. Daryl had taken up his position watching again at the door while they waited to see what Rick was going to do. There was no way Paul was going to leave Beth to watch Hershel alone, so she hadn't seen him in a couple hours. Carol had taken Carl to a bedroom upstairs to cry, and Ruby was sure the poor boy had long ago passed out from exhaustion. She couldn't imagine, even in this world, what it was like to watch your mother die like that right in front of you. Especially being so young, how on earth was he going to process it? What kind of a grown up was he going to be now? It was enough to make a normal person psychotic, and it was going to be up to all of them to make sure that didn't happen. The fact that Rick had passed out had surprised her- she'd never seen him react in such a way, he was usually so proactive, but really, when she thought about it, it shouldn't surprise her. It had been overwhelming, that was all. He'd fought so hard to keep them safe and to realize there was absolutely nothing he could have done had to have been horrible. She just hoped he didn't do anything rash now, and be there for his son now.

The thoughts played like a record in her head, lulling her into a kind of trance. So when she heard Rick come back from the garage in a flurry of motion it made her jump visibly. He swept past them to the doors where Daryl had planted himself.

"Wait, man. Hold on." Daryl hissed when Rick went to open the door.

"Get out of my way." Rick bit his words at him, brushing off the hand Daryl held out to steady him. Ruby saw Rick had a large knife in his hand and she felt her heart leap in her chest.

"You're gonna bring 'em down on us you go out there like this, man. Just hold on." Daryl spoke firmly, but Rick wasn't having it. He shoved Daryl to the side and threw the back door open, disappearing into the moonlight. It woke Maggie and Glenn, and Ruby ran after him. Daryl grabbed her arm and yanked her back as she passed him.

"No! I'll make sure he doesn't get hisself killed. Stay here." He ordered and she hated it, but she gave a curt nod and watched Daryl vanish into the darkness beyond the door after Rick. She felt the tears she had been holding back for hours finally start to flow freely over her cheeks, but she steadied herself and locked the door firmly after them. Sinking down against the wall, she brought her knees up to her chin and wrapped her arms around them tightly.

"Ruby?" Maggie came to her, sitting down close, shoulder to shoulder. "You ok?"

"No. What are we going to do now?" Ruby's words reflected every ounce of hopelessness she felt.

"Just what we can do." Maggie had tears of her own falling down her face, and wrapped her arm around Ruby's shoulders tightly, resting her chin on Ruby's head.

"If Rick doesn't come back..."

"Don't say that." Maggie stopped her, throwing a sad look over to Glenn, who came to sit, knees to knees with them. Somehow, the closeness between the three of them seemed to be the only thing that would make any of them feel any better at all, if it was even possible at the moment.

"Rick's gonna work through it, Daryl's gonna make sure they both come back." Glenn assured her.

"Have you ever seen him like that?" Ruby asked.

"No. But then again, it was Lori, you know?" Maggie answered.

"And T." Glenn said, his eyes clouding over again. The man had become a brother to him, his gut twisting with loss and grief.

Ruby nodded. "I know. And Carl... god..." She fell silent, letting Maggie hug her tightly. Words didn't really work anymore, and none of them felt the need to try and fill the void.


	20. We do what we can do

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC characters, Ruby and Paul, however, and I adore them._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression._

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I was a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little. Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

+++_It's really flowing right now, guys, but note that the chapters are a little shorter and fast moving. The continued reviews are the reason there have been so many updates in so few days- you guys are so inspirational you have no idea. Keep them coming and the updates will keep flowing. I expect the chapters to become longer after this one. ;) You are awesome!_

Rick plunged the blade of his knife into the eye socket of the walker closest to him, and felt the texture of the skull, all soft and rotten, pop under his touch. There weren't a lot of them, but if the night had taught him anything it was that it didn't matter. It only took one unexpected walker to down one of the bravest, strongest men Rick ever knew, and one tiny, unborn baby to make his son lose his mother. It wasn't right, none of this was right, and reality had stopped making sense. That he had taken off from the house and lit out across the field towards the neighboring houses without regard or care hadn't really registered. He didn't notice Daryl close behind him, pegging off the occasional walker that Rick didn't get, or that he was covered in bits of bone and blood and flesh, none of it occurred to him. All he saw was the slow but steady round after round of walkers, wandering separately from each other across the landscape, and the curious realization that every time he killed one, he saw flashes of Lori in his mind's eye. Bright, smiling, teen Lori. Big as a house pregnant-with-Carl Lori. Just Lori, when things had been ok and the world had been right.

A mile down the road, he misjudged the movement of one particularly small walker. A teenager in it's old life, it wore a torn skirt and no shirt any longer, long ago ripped and rotted away. Aiming for it's head, it jerked at the last minute and he swiped its neck, spurting black goo everywhere. He toppled over, unbalanced, and the thing started to go for him when one of Daryl's arrows entered its brain with a loud plop sound. It fell over him, and he shoved it off disgustedly.

"Come on, Rick. Get with me, man." Daryl said gruffly and got down on one knee, supporting Rick with his free arm.

"Get off." Rick pushed at him, but Daryl held his ground.

"Nah, can't do that. We got pretty far out here, there's a lot more of those things if you haven't noticed." Daryl tugged at him, trying to get him to his feet.

Rick wasn't having it. "Good. Let 'em come."

"I ain't even humoring that one, man. You got a boy back there just lost his mom. You need to get on up and get back with me."

"What the hell happened, Daryl?" Rick fell back on hid heels and looked at Daryl so lost and confused it startled him, and Daryl paused. Letting out a deep breath, he scanned the fields around them.

"Wish I knew. Believe me."

"What am I supposed to tell Carl now? Just wait, if you're not dead in a week, I probably will be? What the hell kind of life is that for a kid?"

Daryl frowned deeply. This wasn't his forte, consoling people. It was never something he was comfortable with, but he had the distinct impression that if he didn't do this now for Rick, the man might never come back. Mentally speaking. "He's alive, Rick. That's what's important. The rest can be worked out."

A low moan from behind them made Daryl whip around. A walker was approaching from the direction of the house, and it made his skin crawl to realize just how far out there they were in the dark. "Get up now." He ordered. "We got to get back."

Rick nodded slowly, and while he made his way to his feet, Daryl quickly dispatched the walker as quietly as possible. They'd already made too much noise as it was. He began the trek back a step behind Rick so he could keep an eye on him, and almost prayed as he moved that he would be able to snap out of this soon. If he didn't, it wasn't a "if" Rick would die, it would simply be "when".

It was nearing sunup when Beth emerged from Hershel's room with Paul, the two of them looking drawn and tired. Glenn had curled up back on the couch with Maggie, and Ruby never took her eyes off the door. None of them had thought about the normal things people do since the previous evening: eating, drinking, things like that. Beth slipped off with a candle into a small bathroom on the lower floor and Paul came and sat next to Ruby at the door. He had found a bottle of water somewhere in a bag someone had thought to bring in, and he took a long drink and handed it to her so she could do the same.

"Hey, Starlet. How are you?" He whispered, kissing her cheek.

"Pretty much completely terrible. How's Hershel?" She leaned against him wearily.

"I think he's going to be ok. If he was going to turn, he'd have done it by now so we're just letting him sleep."

"Thank god. At least that's something." She capped the bottle and sat it between her feet. "Rick took off, Paul. Daryl went after him, but they've been gone a long time."

He saw the worry in her eyes and pressed his lips together tensely. "If anybody can keep him safe, it's Daryl. I'm not surprised he snapped. I don't blame him."

"It scared me."

He hugged her. "I know. Try not to worry. He's probably going to be off for a while, we just have to get him through it. He just needs to be there for Carl and we have to give him some time."

"Maggie said Lori knew this baby was going to kill her. What does that mean for the rest of the world? Is everyone who gets pregnant going to die?" She asked anxiously.

"Hey, now. 'Course not. You know better than that. It was a hard pregnancy, if she'd been given the chance to stop running, not have all that stress, she might have come through it."

They heard a noise at the door next to them and Ruby started violently. Grabbing the gun at her hip, Paul swiftly reached over and put his hand over hers. "Wait. Peek and see, but don't let it see you."

She did, peeking through the covers over the window carefully. "Oh thank god, it's them." She gasped, unlocking the door quickly. Rick came in, followed by Daryl, and he collapsed in a high back chair wearily, still dripping rotten blood from his clothes and hair. Ruby grabbed a nearby towel left over and fell at his feet, trying to wipe the gore away from his skin. He let her work, stoic, his gaze on nothing at all on the floor in front of him.

"I guess I don't need to ask how he is." Paul said grimly to Daryl as they stood back and watched.

Daryl grunted softly. "Give him a little bit. He'll come to."

"I hope he does soon. We're going to need him. We can't stay here." Paul said and Daryl looked at him questioningly. "There's no water at all, and I don't think there's anything even remotely close by."

"Ah." Daryl nodded. "How's Hershel?"

"I think he's going to be ok."

"Good. You best get some sleep. We'll wait till it gets plenty light out and take off." Daryl said and Paul nodded. He watched the taller man go to the loveseat and settle back to rest, and Daryl took a place near the watching point. He wanted to be close enough that Ruby could get him if she needed, but he was spent. As he fell into a restless sleep, he pictured Lori's baby in his hands, colored a sickening greyish color with pale, watery eyes. Dead long before it even got a chance to be born.

The sun rose on a eerily silent house, and Ruby opened her eyes when she heard voices. She hadn't even realized she'd fallen asleep, sitting there at Rick's feet. No where close to being rested, she tried to shake it off and stood when she saw Hershel emerge from upstairs, going to give him a hug.

"How do you feel?" She asked him, looking at the deep red scratches across his chin and neck.

"Grateful to be here." He said, looking past her to Rick, sleeping, slumped in the chair in an uncomfortable looking position. "How is he?"

"I don't know. He took off for a while last night but he hasn't said anything." She said sadly.

Rick woke when Carol brought Carl down and everyone just kind of stood back and tried not to stare as the boy approached his father. When he started to cry and fell into his arms, they looked at the ground, lost in how they could possibly help. The morning, however, seemed to fly by then. Paul and Daryl gathered tools from the garage as Carol retrieved food from the cars and got something together for breakfast. No one had much of an appetite, however, and when the men came back from digging the graves for T-Dog, Lori, and the baby, they gathered for the impromptu funerals immediately. No one wanted to stay at the house any longer than they had to.

The sky was appropriately overcast and a shallow rain had begun to fall when they laid the bodies in the ground. Carl clutched to Rick's waist as Hershel said a few words. Daryl and Paul took protective duty and quietly dispatched any threat that came too close while the short but somber service was held. Rick quietly got a shovel and began to cover Lori while Glenn got T-Dog, and from his stance he made it clear that he was to be left alone while he worked. When the last of the dirt was placed and patted down, he took the long gold chain Lori had worn around her neck with his ring while he was in his coma, and looped it over the makeshift cross Daryl had made for her, her ring glinting in the light as it swung freely. Ruby heard him say something as he knelt there, but it was too low to understand. Afraid to go to him and not knowing what to do, she stood there with Maggie and Glenn's arms over her shoulders while Carl cried into Carol's arms. Soon, they were back on the road, with cars that seemed much too empty.


	21. The Cave

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC characters, Ruby and Paul, however, and I adore them._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression._

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I was a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little. Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

+++_It's really flowing right now, guys, but note that the chapters are a little shorter and fast moving. The continued reviews are the reason there have been so many updates in so few days- you guys are so inspirational you have no idea. Keep them coming and the updates will keep flowing. I expect the chapters to become longer after this one. ;) You are awesome!_

Ruby sat behind Rick in the large truck, staring at the back of Rick's head. The fact that he seemed to not really need to talk anymore had shifted from being uncomfortable to just sad now. Carl, tucked in close to his father in the front seat and next to Paul, also had resigned himself to the silence and just stared out at the passing landscape out the window. Paul would look back at her occasionally and give a small, reassuring smile or nod, but when they pulled over for gas in the late afternoon, the words that had been said could have been counted on one hand.

Stretching her legs from the cramped position she'd been in, she looked out over the highway in front of them. Daryl helped Glenn and Paul gather fuel from the discarded cars along the roadway, and when they were done she headed over to the hunter. The thought of going back into the quiet truck was enough to make her want to be sick. Daryl, always the observant one, seemed to know just what she was going through because he just held out a hand and helped her up onto the back of his bike. She hugged him tightly as they pulled out again, the sound of the small motor ringing in her ears, and giving her a little relief.

"How you doin back there?" He asked loudly as they rode.

"Sucks." She said flatly, and he nodded.

"Yeah. Figures." He agreed simply.

"What are we going to do about tonight?" She asked, desperate for a change in topic.

"I've been lookin'. Ain't seen much worth stoppin' for."

"You want to just ride through the night?" She asked. "Couldn't be much different than the day."

"Except if the noise draws a bunch of them we won't see it till we're on top of it. Nah, if we don't find somethin' before too late we'll use the tents again." He said and when she frowned it caught his eye. "Girl, just go with me when I clear the area, ok? You don't have to stay with them if you don't want to."

She hugged him a little tighter for that. "I just don't know what to say to him, or Carl. I've never been good with this sort of thing."

"Is this 'sort of thing' is something you dealt with much?" He countered and she grinned a little.

"If it had, that would make me pretty twisted, huh?"

He shrugged. After a few minutes he turned his head so she could hear him clearer. "I've gotten to know Rick pretty well. If he knows you're there, it'll be ok. I think you'll help more than you realize."

"I hope so. But at this point, hearing him actually say two words together would lower the creepy factor."

"It is kinda fresh, you know. Give him time. I wouldn't be much different if something happened to-" He stopped suddenly, realizing he'd just said way more than he intended to and she stifled a grin. She knew exactly what he'd wanted to say.

"If something happened to any of us?" She finished, and Carol's name was clearly intended. He obviously appreciated it because he nodded.

"It'd suck." He finished and they rode for a while in silence, looking at the sky start to turn colors in the pre dusk. It was growing a little cooler with every night, and she looked forward to the cool night air. At that moment, the beauty of the land around them seemed inappropriate.

A beep from behind them caused Daryl to slow and Rick pulled the truck up beside them, pausing in the roadway.

"There's a road up here on the left. We're going to check it out." Paul said from the passenger side and they fell into place behind the truck. Indeed, a mile up the road there was a turn off, and Ruby could see exactly why they had wanted to stop. A large, beautiful lake stretched out in front of her just beyond the road.

The pavement went from the blacktop of the highway to a paler, slightly rougher concrete, and as they rounded the lake and went a little further it turned into gravel. She could feel it kick back from the bike's wheels and hit her legs, leaving little stinging spots in her flesh. A large hill, almost a mountain, bordered them on the left side, the water on the right, and the road a narrow path in between, but it opened up after a few minutes, exposing a meadow on the other side. It was beautiful, and most importantly, it was blessedly walker-free.

Rick stopped the truck and Daryl tucked the bike past him against the wall of the cliff next to it. Glenn stopped right behind them and everyone got out to take in the scenery.

"My goodness." Carol breathed softly, but Ruby glanced over to see how Rick was taking it. He looked disinterested, absent, and she sighed to herself.

"Where are we setting up?" Maggie asked.

"Wait a minute to do it. I saw something I want to check out first." Daryl said, garnering everyone's attention. "Ruby, you want to come with me?"

"Sure." She said, and threw a last, searching glance at Rick before following Daryl back around the wall they had parked next to. "What did you see?" She asked him as they walked.

He kept his attention focused and his crossbow in hand firmly, walking one step in front of her at all times. "There was a dip back here in the hill, did you see it?" He asked.

"No. What does that mean?"

"Maybe nothing." He answered, finding the spot he had been referring to. It was on the lake side of the road, and he stepped down the hill carefully, looking back to make sure she was close and safe. "But sometimes... it means this." He said, reaching the foot of the hill and smirking satisfactorily. She turned around and looked, and joined him in his secret smile. The small hill had wound down almost underneath the roadway above, and a cave sat hidden there, facing the lake.

"A cave?" She grinned, disbelievingly. "Like, a dark, dank cave?"

"Hey, don't knock it." He said softly, leading her closer to inspect the dim opening. "The best protection we're gonna find anywhere, I tell ya. You ever hear of a walker coming through a rock wall?"

"No. But I have heard of bears. And bats." She joked. Of course she trusted him to find a good place to stay, but she stayed safely behind him as they approached the medium sized rock opening in the cliff.

He grew quiet when they stepped inside, and flipped on a flashlight he had tucked into his belt. It was medium sized from what she could see, and the fading sunlight together with Daryl's flashlight gave it a decent enough glow to be comforting. Maybe ten feet high after the lower opening, it stretched nearly 15 ft to the back wall, about the same width-wise. And it was empty, a fact that set both of their hearts into a relieved sigh. Off to the back, though, was a man sized opening, and they approached it carefully, ears and eyes peaked at attention. A shuffling sound came just as they got to the "door", and they froze. Daryl crouched a little aimed his crossbow defensively, pausing just outside before swinging into an attack position at the opening. Ruby almost squealed in surprise when he let an arrow fly suddenly and he grinned widely, confusing her immensely.

"Got dinner." He said, chuckling at her paleness, and she peered past him into the beam of light of the flashlight. A deer had taken up residence in the small room, and the arrow Daryl had shot was now protruding from it's still, unbreathing chest.

"That scared the hell out of me." She groaned and he chuckled, retrieving his arrow and dragging the carcass to just inside the cave opening.

"Let's go get the rest, get this cooked up. Gonna be a good night, girl. Told you it'd get better." He said and she rolled her eyes. It wasn't going to be hard to get better, last night was the roughest they'd had together as a group. Ever.

It didn't take long to go back and gather the others, lug their bags and packs back to the cave. In fact, after they had tucked the cars away from view, locked them up tightly and all gathered in the new, thankfully mostly hidden space, the sun had only just dipped below the horizon.

"This is good." Carol remarked as she instinctively began the process of making the cave comfortable for everyone.

"Very good." Glenn murmured as he and Maggie began laying out the pallets for bedding. No one wanted to show too much relief or excitement, it still didn't seem very appropriate in the light of Rick and Carl's grief. The two of them set about getting Carl set up in the small back room of the cave, near the bedding for Carol and Hershel. The three of them would be safe and comfortable there, the others in the front room. Daryl set about skinning the deer on a large rock near the lake, his attention always on a potential threat around them. When Ruby gathered the containers for water, she was surprised when Rick joined her.

"Hey." He said, his voice heavy and his expression tentative.

"Hey." She said soothingly, giving him an encouraging gaze.

"Want some help?" He asked and she nodded enthusiastically. Keeping his weapon at the ready and Daryl in sight, they walked the thirty feet to the water's edge.

"Looks clean enough." Ruby said, rolling her jeans up and kicking her shoes off. She waded out several feet and began to fill the containers with fresh water.

Rick did the same and they spent the next few minutes in peaceful silence, filling and carrying the jugs to the lake's shore. "You alright?" He asked after a while and she looked at him, surprised.

"Yeah. Worried about you though, if I'm being honest."

He nodded as he filled. "I'm sorry about that, Ruby."

"You got nothing to apologize for."

"I do. It had to scare you to death, and I haven't said two words to you."

"Why are you sorry about that? Don't worry about me, Rick. You are Carl... I can't even imagine what you two are feeling right now."

He paused in his task and looked out over the water. "All I had to do was make sure Carl had a mother and I couldn't even do that. And T-Dog too. If I had been watching..."

"Stop it." Ruby almost shouted that, and quickly stilled herself. Tossing her empty jug back to the shoreline she waded to him, looking up into his face. "I don't want to hear that. I don't need to tell you that there was nothing you could have done. You already know that."

He returned her gaze, shaky and sad. "I don't know what I'm supposed to tell Carl."

"Just be there for him. It's all you can do. You are so strong, and he's going to be alright, I promise you that. We're all going to make sure of it."

He raised his hand and put it against her cheek, stroking her skin with his rough thumb. She put her hand over his and wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly. They stayed like that for a while, till the bright stars started coming out and the large moon lit the ground in a soft glow.

When they got back to the cave with all the water, Paul had built a fire just outside the opening. Ruby looked around a little frantically, wondering if it could be seen, but saw Daryl shake his head at her.

"We're hidden under the hill, don't worry."

She wondered how he seemed to most always know what she was thinking, but pushed it aside and nodded, giving him a grateful smile. Soon, Carol had meat and a pan of water over the flames, and the smell of cooking meat stirred her stomach hungrily. She realized none of them had really eaten in almost two days.

"Hey Ruby?" Maggie called out to her as she was going through her bag, and Ruby looked up at her questioningly. "We're going to get washed up, you want to come?"

"Oh, god yes." Ruby nearly moaned. She felt disgusting, and it was the best idea she'd heard all day. Carol left the meat cooking with Daryl and she came with Ruby, Maggie and Beth, towels and bottles of soap in hand.

"Now, don't you be peeking at us." Beth teased Paul, who stood at the water's edge, watching over them.

"I won't, long as you four watch out, too. Don't get to chattering and let something come up right behind me." He retorted jokingly and she swatted at his arm as he obligingly turned his back to them and watched the hill and fields beyond.

"Oh god this feels amazing." Maggie sighed as they stripped down and waded into the water. Once they all were in the lake up to their shoulders they began passing bottles and soaps between each other, lathering up slowly and thoroughly. It had been a while, and they were all missing the cold shower at the farmhouse.

"I'm going to stay in here all night." Ruby agreed, suds in her eyes and hair. She dipped and rinsed, reveling in the feeling.

"So, Rick talked to you, huh? I saw you two out here earlier." Maggie said and their attention fell on Ruby.

"I think he's going to be ok." Was all the answer she gave, and they nodded understandingly.

"Poor Carl." Beth said softly and was met with murmurs of agreement.

Nothing else needed to be said on the matter and the subject was changed. "It's so great Daryl spotted this place." Carol said, taking a bottle of conditioner from Beth. "If he hadn't, we'd be camping up there in the open."

"He's pretty smart like that, huh?" Ruby said teasingly, wondering if Carol would slip about her feelings for the man they way he had for her on the bike earlier.

"He sure is." Carol answered softly, a look of secret satisfaction on her face. Ruby chuckled softly, and they all rinsed one last time and waded back to the shore. Paul stayed with his back to them while they dried and dressed, and when they got back to the cave Daryl had a good portion of the deer cooked already.

Carol took over for him and Maggie, Beth and Ruby sat around the fire talking while the men washed up. When they came back, they all sat around and talked softly over dinner, filling up on deer meat and the very last of the vegetables from the garden that had kept.

The fire put out and the entrance to the cave manned for the night by Glenn, sleep came quickly to them all. The kind of hard, exhausted sleep that people who just couldn't take anything else thrown at them that night had, and even the rising sun's beams of light the next morning had trouble waking them.


	22. What took you so long?

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC characters, Ruby and Paul, however, and I adore them._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression._

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I was a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little. Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

+++_It's really flowing right now, guys, but note that the chapters are a little shorter and fast moving. The continued reviews are the reason there have been so many updates in so few days- you guys are so inspirational you have no idea. Keep them coming and the updates will keep flowing_

Ruby wasn't surprised to see Rick up and on watch when she woke, but she _was_ surprised to see how calm he looked. Sitting at the entrance to the cave, looking out over the lake as the bright sun lit up the day, she laid there on her pallet between where his had been and Paul's, watching him. Finally, she pushed the blanket off and got up quietly, making sure not to wake the others.

He looked up when she got to him, and gave her a small smile as she sat down.

"Did you get any sleep?" She whispered and he gave a tiny nod.

"Enough. I wanted to watch the sun come up."

"You should have woken me. I would have kept you company." She tilted her face up at the sun, letting it warm her.

He watched her closely, his expression unreadable. "So, what do you think about this place?"

She thought about it, tucking her knees up and wrapping her arms around them. "I have to say, I never imagined I'd sleep in a cave. Or feel like it was as safe as it was." She looked over at him and stuck an appreciative lip out. "It wasn't half bad."

He grinned and looked back out over the water, nodding a little to himself. Ruby could see he wasn't ready to be fully back to normal, he was still much quieter than usual and that was saying a lot. A chatterbox he was not. They sat there together in silence until the others began to stir behind them, waking for the day.

Daryl took the girls above and to a private place to use the bathroom, and he and Carol chatted to each other on the way back, quietly. Ruby loved to see them interact, Carol's searching gazes and both of their secret, shy smiles. When they rounded the bend and got back to the lake, she was shocked to see Carl and Rick waist deep in the lake, Paul keeping watch from the shore.

"Look at that." She mused, walking up beside her friend, and he chuckled.

"Kid didn't want to go in, Rick got him to."

"Very nice." Ruby murmured, and felt Daryl come up on her other side. He gave her a sideways grin and nodded out at the water.

"Told ya."

"You love saying that, don't you?" She raised an eyebrow at him and he shrugged.

"Nah. Just that it's usually true." He said dryly and she laughed softly as he walked away to help Carol with something.

"Let's get in, too, Ruby." Beth took Daryl's place beside them and stuck her little hands on her hips.

"What the hell." Ruby shrugged, turning to follow the girl back to the cave. "You do realize it's going to be four degrees in there, right?"

"Don't seem to bother Rick and Carl." Beth grinned and they dug through their bags on the floor. They didn't have much, it was true, but there were certain things one had to have in this world and a swimsuit was one of those things. Being in water and needing to stay ready to escape at any moment dictated that. With towels held up for privacy in the small space they changed and Ruby noticed for the first time just how much weight she seemed to have lost in the last few weeks. Her deep purple two piece was getting big and she knotted the sides tighter to keep it up, emerging back into the sunlight with Beth and Maggie.

The girls dove into the water despite the cold, but Ruby paused at the shoreline and gave one last look around the small camp before following them. It was a rare moment of peace, the kind that can only come after a extremely traumatic event. The kind that, in the old world, got buried under stupid troubles like bills and drama and life, but that seemed even more poignant now. Ruby tossed their towels on the ground, gave Paul a bright smile, and waded in to join her friends.

The sun warmed the ground quickly. Beth pulled a tee shirt over her suit and sat back on a towel when Paul joined her. She grinned up at him brightly and he sat down next to her to chat. They hadn't had time like this in what seemed like forever, and he was clearly taking advantage of it. Eventually Maggie and Ruby emerged from the water and joined them, and soon everyone else had taken places close by to soak up a little sun. It was such a hidden spot they felt comfortable enough to let Rick and Daryl keep watch for them, but Daryl finally made his way around the water's edge and came to stand near Ruby's towel.

"Whatcha doin'?" She looked up, holding up a hand to shield her eyes.

"Not sunbathin, that's for sure." He drawled and she chuckled.

"Then you're missing out. I'm sure somebody has a spare pair of trunks around here for you." She grinned and he shook his head.

"You ain't never gonna see that, girl." He looked over the water and shouldered his crossbow. "I'm gonna hunt for a while. See what we can get together for dinner."

She looked around at the group, talking quietly, then over at Rick. He was apart from them all, sitting on the hill slightly above them, staring out over the water and fields beyond. When he had finished playing with Carl it was almost like he'd used himself up. Not angry, not sad, just... tired. Looking at him, she was suddenly overwhelmed by anxiety. She needed to get out of here. She grabbed her shorts and pulled her shirt on quickly, her sidearm secure in her hand, she took off after Daryl.

"What you think you're doin?" He asked when she caught up to him and fell into step behind.

"Coming with you."

He threw a look back at her. "Don't scare off the game."

She knew he wasn't serious, so she raised an eyebrow at him but followed quietly. The gun wasn't going to be used for more than walkers, that was common sense, but she kept her finger on the trigger nonetheless. They marched across the field past the cars above and into the woods, the sounds of birds and wind through the trees so loud around them.

They didn't find more than squirrels for a long while, and after some time the motion of Daryl pinging off an arrow, retrieving the carcass and restringing lulled Ruby into a kind of zen like state. Time to think about Rick and the circumstances she was finding herself in now, and she was unable to stop it. He was broken, mentally at least, for a while and she wondered how much help she was going to be able to help him at all. Lori had, God- she still was- a huge part of his life. The mother of his child both born and unborn, the symbol of what he was fighting for out here. He loved her. The thought, as selfish as it was burned in her stomach. He would always love Lori, always keep a part of him from her. Hell, now it seemed like all of him was kept from her. The brief talk gathering water the night before had done little to really secure her mind or heart. It just wasn't enough. She had to admit it to herself, she loved him, and she needed to feel him in her arms again. Against her every wish, she let out a frustrated breath much louder than she intended.

Damn. Daryl heard that. "Problem?" He asked, and she looked at his back in front of her.

Biting her lip almost to bleeding, she steadied her voice as much as she could. "Nope."

She was, by no means, an oversharer, but he seemed a little surprised to hear her clipped answer. He walked in silence for a moment, but then it was her turn to be surprised when he spoke again. "Carol tell you how her husband died?"

She almost froze, he caught her so offguard. "No. She's never talked about it."

"Not surprised. Ed was a bastard, and that's somethin' comin from me. I've known my share, probably considered one by most people."

She frowned. "I don't think so."

"He beat on her, you know. Busted her face bad right before he died, night Rick went back into Atlanta to find my brother. Shane got to him first, woulda put him in the hospital if there were still hospitals around. So he went into a tent to mope hisself better, and walkers got in camp, caught people unawares. You know how it goes."

"Yeah."

"Ed got chewed up pretty good, wasn't much left when the smoke cleared."

Where was he going with this? She furrowed her brow and focused on his words and her feet moving under her. "Ok..."

He stopped so suddenly she ran right into him, and he turned and put a hand on her shoulder to steady her. She looked up at him, confused, and he gave her the most patient look he probably had ever given anyone. "Before we buried the ones that died, we really put 'em down, you know? She wouldn't let me do Ed. Did it herself, and... there wasn't anything left to bury, you get me?"

Her eyes widened. "Carol? ….She did that?"

"She worked it out." He said flatly. "Got out what she needed to, and even after, it took her a long time to come around. Years of that... it does something to a person. Losing Sophia on top of it... I didn't think she'd be ok but she is. Hell, she's better than before."

Ruby understood then what he was saying to her. Rick might not be an abused wife, but the marital troubles had worn on him long before this, long before Lori got with his best friend and his world went to shit. Before his wife was carrying a baby that might not be his and hateful feelings toward him. He was just as broken as Carol had been when she'd "put Ed down", and if someone as gentle as her could get through it a strong guy like Rick would too.

She smiled at him, small but understanding, and he nodded to her before turning and continuing on his way. This world was enough to bring out the worst in people, but the best too.

"Daryl?" She said quietly as she followed him.

"Hm?" He responded, and she was going to ask him how he'd helped Carol get through it, but she realized she didn't have the guts. Even after that, all he'd said, he wasn't going to share that.

"Nevermind." She said and he accepted it without question. She smiled a little to herself just as the peace of the moment was shattered in a barrage of teeth and rotting flesh.

Rick had sat on that hill for hours, staring out at nothing, thinking about everything, but when the first gunshots sounded in the distance it sent him flying to his feet and down to the mouth of the cave.

Paul was already heading past him up the hill, and Rick grabbed his arm. "Hey! We stay here, keep the other safe. If they come closer we'll check it out."

Paul looked at him like he was crazy. "What? Hell no, not with both of them out there."

"Both? Who's out there?" Rick was confused. He looked over at the group that had gathered behind Paul, and met his son's worried eyes for a moment.

"Songbird's out there with Daryl. You didn't see?" Paul pushed past him again and Rick felt his stomach drop out of his body. Oh god.

He pointed to Glenn and Maggie. "Stay here, inside. Somebody else comes through you shoot." He didn't wait for their nod before he was behind Paul running toward the continuing sounds of gunfire in the distance.

"Which way did they go?" He yelled as they ran.

"I saw them go through the trees up here." Paul answered, and Rick could head the fear in his voice. They broke through the treeline and began crashing through the underbrush toward the shots ahead. Problem was, it echoed through the trees and made pinpointing it difficult. They worked their way to the right, then to the left when it didn't seem like it was right, and finally ended up in a clearing deep in the trees. A walker was stumbling through the other side, apparently also on its way toward the noise, and Paul dropped it quickly.

"How do we know it's them?" He looked back at Rick hopelessly. This was going to take forever. "What if it's another group and they're hiding, or we passed them already?"

"Not taking that chance, are you?" Rick spun around, listening to the echoes of gunshots fading. "What the hell is she doing out here?" Rick was angry, but he knew it was only at himself for not even noticing she'd left.

"Just find her." Paul was just as mad and bit the words off at Rick before realizing the gunshots had stopped. It terrified him, and he took off again in the direction of where he thought they had been last. Rick had no choice but to follow- they had to stay together if they had any chance of getting Ruby out of this alive. Daryl could take care of himself, Rick knew, and he could take care of Ruby too but that wasn't an option right now. If he lost her too...

Daryl pushed Ruby out of the way when two walkers came at her at once, and she fell to the ground. Grabbing her wrist, he yanked her up and they went flying through the trees and away from the emerging group of walking corpses. They hadn't even noticed the first one till it was on top of them, he'd been talking and then there they were. A small group at first, but Ruby fired the first time and several more appeared moments later. Soon, he was nearly back to back with her as they fired at the circle growing around them.

"Go!" He shouted and she scrambled after him, looking back at the walkers following them as quickly as their rotting legs could carry them. Unfortunately, that was a little too quickly in some of their cases for her comfort. A hard yank on her arm whipped her around two more emerging bodies from the front and she knew why he was doing this. They were almost out of ammo, and hadn't expected this.

"That way!" She spotted a large dip past the trees to the left and he headed that way with her in tow, and when they reached the crest and looked down they saw a small but rushing river of water below.

"Can you swim?" He asked loudly over the sound of water below, and pegged off another walker behind her with an arrow.

"Yeah." She was breathless, looking down. It was deep enough to handle the twenty foot drop down they would have to make. Okay, it looked deep enough, but what did she know? Looking back, she saw they were quickly being surrounded again and she met Daryl's eyes for a moment. He tightened his grip on her hand and they jumped.

Hitting the water, they were instantly separated, and Ruby was blinded. Fighting her way to where she thought the surface was, the water proved far more rapidly moving than she had anticipated, and when she broke through and gasped for air her lungs were near to exploding. She was a very good swimmer, always had been, and soon, she had enough control to be able to look around for Daryl. He had to be close, he had to be, please God let him be... Her mind whizzed when she didn't see him, and she looked back frantically, seeing a form in the water rushing toward her. She put an arm out to grab it, but as it neared she realized it wasn't the hunter at all, but one of the walkers who had followed them blindly over the cliff. She stifled a cry, but the thing didn't have the control she did in the water and could only be swept past her as she grabbed a low hanging tree that was close above her head.

"Daryl!" She screamed, searching the water for him, and suddenly his dark demin vest appeared just to her left. The air left her body when she saw he wasn't moving, and she went into a kind of terrified autopilot as she reached out and clutched it in her fingers. His face came above the water as she pulled him up and toward her, but his eyes were closed, a decent sized gash above his right eye. Using her arm to hold him close, she worked her way along the branch above toward the shoreline, and luckily the water there didn't seem to be moving as quickly or she wouldn't have had the strength. Just as her feet reached the gritty riverbed below something hit them in the front and she almost screamed when Daryl's arm shot out and grabbed it. His other hand tightened around her arm and he moved forward, helping them to crawl from the water to the wet, sandy shoreline. As they emerged, she saw what had hit them in the water still clutched in his hand, and she almost laughed. His crossbow.

Falling onto the blessedly free ground, they laid there gasping for air. "My god." It was all Ruby could come up with.

He sat up, looked around them to be sure they hadn't been followed. Reaching up, his fingers brushed the now freely bleeding gash on his head and winced. "You ok?" He asked after a moment, looking down at her as she caught her breath and tried to keep her heart from jumping from her chest.

"Not... the one... bleeding." She sat up slowly.

"It's nothin'." He said, checking his crossbow for damage. "If I'd a lost this, then I'd be pissed."

"I lost my gun." She realized, looking around the ground like it might have magically found its way to the shore with her. It had not. She let out a frustrated breath, but looked back at him and saw the blood pooling in his neckline. Pulling the soaked shirt she wore over her suit off, she balled it up and pressed it to his forehead. He hissed, but shot her a look that said thanks.

"Didn't have but a round or two left anyway." He said, and she noticed him giving her a funny look.

"What?" She asked.

"How the hell did a little thing like you drag my ass outta that water?"

She almost laughed, but she was still too scared to pull it off. "Adrenaline." She answered, sighing with relief.

"Come on, let's get back up there." He groaned and stood up, and she put a hand on his back to steady him. He had to be dizzy, he'd been hit pretty hard. "I'm good."

"How are we going to find our way back?" She asked, looking around the unfamiliar forest. God knows how far they'd come.

"Follow this and it'll take us right back." He gestured ahead, indicating the river. "But we should stay in the trees, go back in a little."

"We're unarmed." She protested. His arrows, the few ones he had left anyway, were long lost in the water.

"Exactly." He said dryly. "I know Rick, and he heard those shots. I bet we walk this way, we run right into him."

She frowned. She trusted Daryl, and she sure as hell trusted Rick, but with how off he'd been she wouldn't be shocked if he'd missed them completely. Not arguing with Daryl, injured or not, was primary however, and they made their way back up the bank and the hill to the trees above.

"Hey Rub?" Hey said and she blinked. He called her Rub? When did Daryl use nicknames?

"Yeah?"

"Anytime you want to get... "adrenaline". You just go ahead." He said and she let out a short, clipped chuckle. He put the arm holding the crossbow around her shoulders and squeezed her tightly.

"We make it back in one piece first, huh?" She said and he grinned at her. What a day.

Rick slumped against a tree trunk and fought back tears. They'd found where Daryl and Ruby had been attacked, the bodies of the fallen walkers lay strewn about with bullets and arrows protruding from them. With the confirmation that indeed, it had been them and not some mystery group, both he and Paul's hearts had fallen. The forest now lay deserted and quiet, everything still. If there were any remaining walkers, they had followed the two of them, but there was no trace to tell Rick where they had gone.

"We're backtracking." Paul announced and Rick looked up at him, hopelessness clouding his eyes. His own weakness had failed him again, and now Ruby was gone.

"What?"

"Come on." Paul was more angry and set on his course now, and he grabbed Rick's elbow and led him back the way they had come. "Daryl would have circled back toward the lake, they gotta be out of ammo now. He'd go back to where there is some."

It seemed to make sense, and Rick picked up his heavy feet to follow him. Glancing over at Paul, he saw the big man's face set and stony. He looked deadly, focused, and he understood. Ruby meant too much to him to let something happen to her, and Rick wondered if he felt the same guilt now wracking his own body. Keeping their ears and eyes open, they carefully and quietly made their way back the way they had come and looking for any sign of where Daryl and Ruby had possibly been.

"Wait." Daryl whispered and Ruby froze. Ahead, through the trees, they could see a couple moving shapes.

"Is it them?" She asked and he shushed her, peering ahead intently. It was a little too far, but the sound of a low moan permeated the distance and she pressed her lips together tensely. They hadn't seen a walker since coming out of the water, and she'd prayed that would hold until they could either find Rick or get back to camp.

The walkers drifted closer, and Daryl could see they were being drawn to them. It must be the blood, he realized, and pulled Ruby's shirt from his head. It was very nearly soaked through but the cut itself had all but stopped bleeding. Quickly, he handed his crossbow to Ruby and tied the shirt around a narrow tree trunk before taking her elbow and pushing her away from the direction the walkers were coming. A few steps forward and they heard the sound of a gunshot from relatively close by.

"That's him, I'd bet anything." Daryl whispered as they made their way in an arch around to where the gunshot had come from.

"There's more this way. Hear them?" Paul asked as they broke through a particularly clumped nest of trees and toward the sounds of the dead ahead. Normally the inclination to walk toward something like this would be unheard of, but if they were following Daryl and Ruby then that's where they would find them. They just had to stay hidden in the meantime.

"What the hell is that?" Rick almost gasped when they saw three walkers grouped around a tree to the very right. They were pulling and grasping, pushing each other to get to whatever was on the tree. Come up quietly behind them, Paul and Rick grasped knives in their hands, and when they were close enough, they plunged them into the backs of the skulls of the walkers, killing them easily enough. They had been too distracted to notice they were being approached.

"Oh my god." Paul breathed when he saw the shirt hanging on the tree by threads. Pulling it free he held it up, recognizing it immediately. It was the one Ruby had been wearing earlier.

"No, she must have put it there." Rick shook his head, but his voice betrayed the sick feeling he had. The shirt was soaked in blood, the possibility of someone as small as her and bleeding that much, yet being fine was very small. "She must have. She had to."

"Stop. She's here somewhere." Paul ended his babbling quickly and headed off to the right, the shirt still clutched in his hand. The sun was low in the sky and shadows had started falling over the trees. If they didn't find her and Daryl before sunset, the possibility of not finding them at all was huge. And he couldn't lose her again. From the looks of it, Rick would completely lose it. The man's eyes were terrified and he was paler than usual, his jaw set like stone and lips tense and pressed back tightly. "We'll find her."

Daryl sat back against a tree trunk, fighting the dizziness that threatened to consume him. Ruby sat between his feet in front of him, his knife in her hand tightly as she watched for Rick to find them. They'd stopped walking not long after leaving the shirt to distract the walkers, and she was silently praying. Please let Daryl be fine, for Rick to find them. The hunter could easily lead them out of the forest, but with no ammo and his head swimming things were markedly more difficult.

She frowned and looked back at him. His head was leaning back against the tree, eyes closed and chest rising and falling steadily.

"Daryl. Don't fall asleep." She said softly. She knew what would happen to a person who had a serious head trauma and fell asleep- they might not wake up.

"Not leaving you, girl. Just resting. Be back up in a minute." He said quietly, patiently. He must be damaged, she thought. This situation most assuredly didn't warrant such calm.

"You better be telling me the truth. I'll kick your ass." She said and one of his eyes opened and considered her for a moment. She raised her eyebrows and he chuckled. Rolling forward, he got to his knees and she wrapped an arm around his waist to help. He leaned on her and she stumbled a little under his weight.

"Too heavy for ya?" He joked and she grinned. It faded, however, when the low growl of a walker came from much too close for comfort. She let Daryl go and stepped forward in front of him protectively. The thing came through the trees and she raised her knife, but it froze and jerked suddenly and she flinched. It fell to its knees, then to the ground, and she saw Rick standing behind it staring at her in surprise and relief.

"What the hell took you so long?" Daryl croaked behind her, and Rick darted forward and lifted Ruby in a hug so tight it cut off her oxygen supply. Oh thank god...


	23. Bullets and bunkers

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC characters, Ruby and Paul, however, and I adore them._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression._

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I was a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little. Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

+++_It's really flowing right now, guys, but note that the chapters are a little shorter and fast moving. The continued reviews are the reason there have been so many updates in so few days- you guys are so inspirational you have no idea. Keep them coming and the updates will keep flowing_

"I have never been so happy to see you." She breathed into Rick's neck as he held her tight. Allowing herself a moment of pure relief before pushing back and looking up at Paul as he grabbed her almost as tightly, she gestured back at Daryl. "We had to jump into the river, he hit his head pretty bad.

Paul let her go and went over to Daryl's side. "I'm fine, come on, man." Daryl pushed Paul's probing fingers away from the cut on his head and got to his feet grumpily.

"Can we please get out of here, now?" Ruby sighed, anxious to leave the darkening trees behind.

"Definitely." Paul nodded, looking back at Daryl. "You walk ok?"

Daryl gave him a flat look and stepped past them a little slower than he normally would. He was headed slightly off direction, and Paul took the lead, steering them back toward the lake and cave. Ruby and Rick followed, but he hadn't yet let go of her. From the look on his face and the strength in his hands, she doubted he ever would again and the thought sent a delightful shiver up her spine. She'd missed this, just wished it didn't take something like almost dying to bring it back out.

They turned out to be much closer than she had realized. Five minutes and two straggling walkers knifed later, and they were emerging into the field between the forest and the road they had driven in on. Rick hadn't taken his eyes off her yet, and when they made their way down the hill and around to the cave, he led her away from it and right down into the water. She could hear the exclamations of relief from the group as Paul and Daryl got to them, and she looked back to see Carol sweep down on Daryl quickly. In stereotypical fashion, he swatted the attention away, and she smiled a little as she and Rick rounded a large boulder and got to the water's edge.

"After the river, this isn't looking as fun." She said dryly, confused as to what he was doing. He was so silent it was making her a little unnerved. He kicked off his shoes and held her hand tighter as he led her into the lake. When she was chest deep, he stopped and turned completely toward her. The look in his eyes was so intense it took her breath away, and she froze when he began to brush the dirt and blood from her face and neck with his hands.

Finally, he spoke, but it was low, and she had to watch his lips. "I am never... ever letting you go again."

"I'm fine." She said, hoping to console him.

He set his jaw and gave a slight shake of his head. "I didn't even see you leave. I am so sorry. You did it because I wasn't really here."

She frowned. "Rick, I didn't go out there because you weren't spending enough time with me. I left middle school a long time ago."

He frowned himself, but just looped his arms around her and untied the bathing suit top she wore. They were hidden from sight, and she deeply doubted anyone would come to them after seeing the way Rick led her away so pointedly, so she relaxed against him as he washed more grime from her skin. Reveling in the feeling of being in the arms of someone who loved her deeply and wanted her, of being so very safe in such an unsafe world, they stayed there far into the darkness of the evening.

Rick watched the group sleep from his position at the cave entrance. He should have been exhausted with the level of stress running through his body earlier, but he was wired. He'd almost lost Ruby, and it terrified him more than he'd even imagined it. He'd known he'd long ago fallen for the girl, but until he realized he'd never see her again (or worse, find her as one of those things), it hadn't really registered to him. When he'd taken her into the lake with him, it was more than to apologize. It was to feel her under his fingers and tell his shaken brain she was still there. Still breathing and real, that he hadn't screwed up so badly that he'd want to die. To love her the way she should have been doing, the way he hadn't loved other things in his life the way she should have and lost them.

Carl came from the back room of the cave near sunup, and came to silently sit by his father, the cool dawn breeze picking up and blowing over both of them.

"I'm glad Daryl and Ruby are back." The boy said quietly, and Rick looked over at him. He suddenly looked so grown up. He wondered when that had happened.

"So am I."

Carl considered him thoughtfully. "You love her, don't you?"

They had never talked about it, and after losing Lori so recently, Rick felt a pang of anxiety at the question. How was he going to get his song to understand?

"Well, she means a lot to me, Carl." He began, and caught the twitch of Carl's lips from the corner of his mouth.

"It's ok. I don't think it means you didn't love mom." Carl said and Rick's head almost whipped around backwards.

"Of course I loved your mom. I still do." Rick said and Carl nodded.

"I know. Carol talked about it with me. Well, I talked. She mostly listened."

"Did you? What did you talk about?" Rick was both curious and reserved. He didn't want Carl to misunderstand, and wasn't sure if Carol grasped the situation enough to be able to give advice.

"About what you and mom were like, mostly. It was bad before, wasn't it? Did she love Shane?"

"Well, I guess she did. Then again, I loved him too, like a brother. And I know you did." Rick sighed. "And he loved you two very much."

"So why did he do it?"

"Do what?" Rick frowned.

"Try to kill you. Was it because he wanted Mom to be with him?"

Rick let out a shaky breath. "Carl, there was a lot there to figure out. I don't think I know it all yet, maybe never will. But you shouldn't be thinking about these things now, not with everything that's happened."

"But it's helping." Carl protested and Rick tilted his head at the boy.

"How?"

"Because I feel like if I understand why things happened, maybe I won't be as mad about it. Mom thought you were dead, right? That's why we left in the first place, and when you found us again, well, she and Shane were already..."

"Ok," Rick didn't want him to finish that sentence any more than Carl wanted to.

"All I mean is, things weren't the same. Maybe it was their fault. But it couldn't be changed, could it?" Carl looked up at Rick, his face questioning and tense. His dark hair was shaggy around his face and his shoulders looked like they carried far too much weight than a boy his age should even be aware of. It made Rick so sad to see it, but he knew this needed to be gotten out.

"I don't think it was really anybody's fault. The way the world used to be, there were ways that things could be worked out, you know? But now, when you have to worry about running all time, the order is messed up. Do you know what I mean?" Rick spoke earnestly, he knew Carl was growing up. Hell, he'd already given him a gun. The boy had to understand if he was going to make it.

"Yeah." Carl looked out over the lake, watching the water lap and roll. The silence settled over them for a while, before he opened his mouth again. "I don't know if we can be happy anymore."

Rick's heart broke a little. "I think we can."

Carl smiled a little at that. "Does Ruby make you happy?"

"Yeah. And you do. And seeing the rest of the group alive, it all makes me happy."

"Well," Carl sighed, his hands on his knees. "If you're happy, I am too."

"Doesn't mean you will forget about your mom, or how much she loved you. How happy we were together." Rick said and Carl shook his head.

"No, it doesn't. I miss her."

"You always will." Rick put a hand on Carl's shoulder and pulled him close. Kissing his hair, he spoke softly. "Nothing wrong with that. Nothing at all."

Over breakfast, later, Rick found Carol off to the side and took the opportunity to speak with her.

"We're going to need more food soon. We're down to canned peas and peaches from the house. There's a bit more, but I don't know how far I can make it stretch." She said, finding him hovering behind her.

"We can make a run soon. We need ammo and some other things too." He said, taking some plates from her hands and boxing them up for her. "Is there any deer meat left?"

"Problem is, it doesn't keep." She frowned, sitting down next to the entrance to the cave and looking up at him. "So when we get it, I try to make everyone eat as much as they can."

"Maybe some hunting, too, then." He said and she bit her lip.

"Daryl can't go back out there for a while. He's almost out of arrows and he's still dizzy, even if he denies it." She looked past him to where Daryl and Ruby were gathering sticks down toward the road. The two of them were mostly silent, from what he could see, but occasionally Ruby would say something and he would see Daryl nod, or give a short response. Turning back to Carol, he put his hands on his hips.

"We'll take care of it. Don't worry." He said, and she nodded, still watching Daryl. "Hey, I guess Carl chewed your ear about what's been going on, huh?"

She looked surprised. "Uh... well, he had some questions. I hope I didn't speak out of turn."

He shook his head and looked over the water thoughtfully. "No. Not sure what you said, but, uh... he seems ok. Thanks for whatever you did."

"He's a strong kid." She smiled, suddenly thinking of how Sophia might be as strong, if she were still there.

"Yeah, he's growing up, isn't he? Guess I didn't realize how much."

"He is. I think he knows a lot more than we give him credit for. And he's so anxious for responsibility. He's just like you."

He chuckled a little at that. "Well, sometimes all this responsibility isn't a good thing."

She stood up, and went to gather water to boil. Before she walked away, she looked back at him. "You know, there's something to be said about someone who would take it on, even if it threatens everything they love. We're grateful for that."

"Thanks." He whispered but she was already gone. Rubbing his face hard, he took a deep breath, and went to talk to Paul and Daryl.

"Yeah, I was thinking that too." Paul said, when Rick gathered with them, bringing up the subject of making a run.

"After what happened?" Ruby said, anxiously scratching her palms together. "You want to separate again so soon?"

"Well, we wait too long, we're gonna run out completely, and then what do we do? We go safe, fast, find whatever we can and we'll be back before you know it." Rick reasoned, and when she looked from him to Paul and Daryl, and they seemed to agree with him, she nodded slowly.

"Any idea where we're goin?" Daryl asked gruffly. "Don't know this area at all."

"There were signs for a town on the road, remember? Maybe it's not all looted." Paul said.

"That's it then. We don't find anything, we're going to have to talk about whether we stay here or not. Winter coming, anyway, it's not the best place."

"When do we leave?" Ruby asked, and they looked at her strangely.

"We'll go, leave you and Daryl to help Glenn protect the camp." Rick said.

Daryl actually didn't argue with that. Perhaps the knowledge that he needed to mend for a few days to really be any good was really registering with him, but Ruby was not going to be taken down so easily.

"You know I don't fight your plans, Rick. None of yours. I trust you guys to do what it takes to keep us safe, but if there's one thing you can't tell me it's too watch you two walk away. I'm going." She said firmly, and Paul chuckled a little. Again, he didn't want her any further away from him that she wanted to be.

"We'll keep her safe." Paul said, and they looked to Rick.

He let out a breath. "Fine. You got this, Daryl?"

"Yeah." He answered, scratching his head absently. When Paul and Rick went to gather supplies and say goodbye to the others, he took Ruby aside.

"Rub, you gonna do anything stupid out there?" He asked, pulling her over to the boulder by the water.

"No. Don't worry." She smiled fondly at him.

He reached around behind him and pulled out a semiautomatic handgun, holding it out to her. "You lost yours, figured you needed another one."

"Hey, thanks." She said, taking it and checking the magazine. "Full clip, huh? Saving it for a rainy day?"

"Something like that. Listen, you did good out there with me, better than I thought. But you let Rick and the Hulk take the dangerous stuff, you got me? Kick _your_ ass, if you don't." He put her own words back to her, and she grinned, pulling him into a hug. While he still wasn't comfortable with shows of affection, he looped his arm around her shoulders, and squeezed her tightly. When they broke, he saw Rick give him an amused look and he quickly excused himself to finish making the arrows he and Ruby had gathered.

They loaded up in the large black truck, Ruby between the men, and carefully headed down the gravel road to the highway. Turning left, Rick began the trek to the unknown town, and toward uncertainty.

Ruby watched the fields and abandoned cars they passed absently. She was happy. Sitting there, safe in the truck between the two people who literally meant the world to her, she felt whole for a blessed moment in this damned world. She looked over to Paul, who reflected her grin back at her, then over to Rick, who just took her hand and held it tightly.

"There's another sign." She said, pointing ahead. A worn, green roadsign was on the side, and spelled out "Buckley: 10 miles" in large block letters. "Buckley, huh? Wonder how big it is."

"Pretty rural area, probably not huge, but you never know." Rick answered gently. He was mentally preparing himself for walking into this place, for keeping Ruby safe. Paul, he knew, was doing the same, and they all fell into silence as they watched for walkers or survivors.

They passed more cars on the road, but others seemed to have been here before because they were mostly pushed off to the side, leaving a passable trail. Around the bend ahead, they saw buildings in the distance, and a welcome sign lay broken on the grass to the right.

"Doesn't look big at all." She whispered as they crept their way toward the first main road turnoff. A sign still stood there, "Main St.", a staple of every small town in America. They passed an ice cream store, shoe store, tiny boutique with a picture of the Eiffel Tower on the front. When they reached a place where the grocery store was on one side and a pharmacy on the other, Rick pulled the truck over. The street was littered with glass and overgrown weeds, but it was, thankfully, abandoned. No signs of life or walkers at all. Getting out of the truck, they still got their weapons ready to be used in a hurry.

Rick made a motion toward the pharmacy and they fell into form, crossing the street quickly, so as not to be out in the open any longer than necessary. He reached the door first, and was not surprised when it opened easily under his hand. The bell that would normally ring to announce the arrival of a customer lay broken on the ground, and he silently gave thanks for that.

"Find anything you can, but stay together." He murmured, and they immediately began searching the store. Ruby found a few bottles of shampoo and personal care things among the disheveled shelves and cases, and threw them into a green plastic bin by the door. Paul stayed with her while Rick made his way into the back, where the medicines were kept. Walking under a old fashioned sign that advertised cough syrup, he quickly scanned the shelves in the dimness, finding little more than bottles of aspirin. He turned, about to go back to the front when something caught his eye. Behind the main counter there were several shelves that didn't look as ransacked. Kneeling down, he went through them, and the drawers there, finding things like cold and flu medication, all of which he gathered into a basket like Ruby's. Coming across a locked drawer, he used the butt of his gun to smash the lock, and pulled it back slowly. Never knew what you were going to find these days, he thought.

"Well, look at this." He mused, and Ruby and Paul looked over at him interestedly. He held up a revolver and a box of bullets with a grin, and they flicked their eyebrows up appreciatively. Rick shifted, getting up, when he felt the floor give a little under his foot. Frowned, he stood up and tested the floor. This step was firm, yet a foot to the right, it dipped. There was nothing underneath, he realized. Pushing back the worn carpet that lay over it, he saw a two by two cutout in the floor, with a metal ring pressed into the wood.

"Paul." He stood back up and they were behind him in an instant.

"What is that?" Ruby asked, looking down at the hatch in confusion.

"Could be a basement, could be a hiding place. Only one way to find out." Rick said through a clenched jaw, and he and Paul got into place, guns ready. Leaning down, he pulled the ring and the hatch opened.

"Ugh!" Ruby hissed, holding her arm over her nose. The smell of decomposition was overwhelming coming from the dark hole below, and even Rick and Paul leaned back a little. Rick furrowed his eyebrows and looked around quickly, finding a box of matches in one of the alcoves of the desk. Lighting one, he held it down to the blackness and peered around. Apparently finding nothing, he lit two more at once and tried again, leaning down a little more.

"I don't think anything's down here." He popped back up and adjusted himself so he could go down the narrow metal ladder that led below. He was almost to the bottom when he let out a clipped grunt and Ruby's heart fell to her feet at the same time a gunshot fired below. It was so loud, her ears immediately began to ring, but Paul seemed not to notice. He was halfway in the hatch before she blinked.

"Rick?" He hissed urgently.

"I'm fine. Guy locked himself down here." Rick's voice came back up. Suddenly, a burst of light flared up, and when Paul cleared the hatch and Ruby made her way down, she saw Rick had lit a couple candles on a workbench near the wall. Paul took her by the waist and lifted her gently to the floor, and she looked around the room.

"It's a panic room, I guess." Rick said.

"Maybe, from 1902." Paul scoffed, still grimacing from the smell. The man who had shut himself in lay in a pile on the ground behind the ladder in a clump, but she could see that he had been old. Like, really old. His pale green, lined face spoke of a man about 90, his thin, frail body clad in a plaid long sleeved shirt and canvas pants, all stained with darkened body fluids. He looked positively skeletal now, though, and she didn't think he got that way when he was alive.

"Did he... starve down here? You know, after he died?" She questioned out loud and Paul shrugged.

"Could have been down here a long time."

"Can they even starve? I mean, why did it take him so long to attack?" She asked.

"He didn't really attack." Rick corrected her. "He grabbed my boot, that's all."

"Maybe they can starve, then. Didn't have the energy. We can use that, makes me feel a little better at least." Paul said, shying away from the odor and inspected the rest of the wooden room. A cot lay against one wall, shelves loaded with canned goods and boxes of crackers, pasta, anything you could think of. Hardly a dent had been made, the man must have died pretty early on. Loaves of decimated bread and fruit were in piles on a makeshift wooden counter near a small cooking stove, and burnt out bulbs hung from the ceiling on worn cords.

"He was scared, look at this." Rick said, lifting stacks of neatly bound money from another table in the corner. "There's at least 75,000 here."

"Probably his whole life savings." Paul said, looking over the money and jewelry on the table. He lifted a brilliant diamond ring and held it out to Ruby, who took it and turned it over in her hand. The candlelight was bright enough to show an inscription on the inside of the band.

"To Freida, from your John-Boy." She read aloud. "Why did he have all this?"

"Didn't know the world was over enough to not need it. Probably took everything he could and came down here to wait for the calvary." Rick said, looking at a long chained pocketwatch. He stuck it in his pocket. It still worked, and Carl would like it.

"Hey guys?" Ruby called out. She'd handed the ring back, too sad to hold it any longer, and wandered over to some dressers against the far wall. She reached in one of the drawers and moved something around. "I think John Boy here was the pharmacist."

"Why?" Rick frowned, and she held up a bottle with a grin.

"Because he's got the whole store stocked down here. Antibiotics, painkillers, you name it. Every drawer is full."

"You gotta be kidding me." Rick grinned and they went eagerly to see what she was talking about. Sure enough, every drawer was stocked neatly and full with every medication they would need for years. "Well, damn. Load it up. Hershel's gonna be happy, that's for sure."

"Take some of these and everybody's gonna be happy." Paul quipped as he loaded up his basket with industrial strength painkillers. They worked quickly, but it took three more baskets from upstairs to gather it all.

"The food too." Ruby said, and Rick grabbed some wooden crates from under a table and dumped them out to load up the food. Four trips later, all of it was in the back of the truck, and Rick shut the hatch behind them, pulling the rug back over it neatly. Ruby looked at him strangely and he shrugged as they walked back out into the daylight.

"I guess it's the best grave he's gonna get. Makes me feel better if I know nobody else is gonna disturb him."

Ruby felt her heart move painfully in her chest. He was so sweet. She took his hand and they met Paul by the truck.

"We hitting the grocery store too?" Ruby asked, looking over the street carefully.

"Might as well, but somebody needs to stay by the truck. We can't lose this stuff." Rick said. "Paul?"

"You got it. Just hurry. We haven't found any ammunition yet."

The grocery was a hell of a lot worse off than the pharmacy, as Ruby and Rick saw when they slid the door open and stepped inside quietly. The smell of rotten food was intense, and Ruby was starting to get a little nauseous after the crawl space smell.

"Let's do this fast, huh?" She grimaced and they headed quickly for the dry goods shelves. There really wasn't much left, but they came back out to Paul with a few bags of canned goods and crackers, powdered juices and milk. Throwing it in the back of the truck, they loaded up and headed up the road to see if they were missing anything.

"Any of these places look like they might have ammo?" Ruby asked, inspecting the storefronts that advertised insurance and floral arrangements.

"After finding a loaded gun at the old man's place, all these could be a possibility. Can't do them all, though." Rick said, pointing ahead. "There's a fisherman's store. Let's try that."

They dismounted again and went to the door. The store was in a bad state of disarray, but some product remained. Mostly loose bullets that Paul gathered quickly, they would go through later. Ruby wandered around him, toward the stacks of fishing poles against the wall.

"We can use these, can't we?" She asked, and Rick looked over.

"Yeah." He said, raising his eyebrows. "Take the good ones at the end, and get extra line and bobs."

"Ok." she said, gathering everything and putting the smaller things in large canvas packing bags she found on the floor.

"Most of the guns are gone, but there were a few." Rick said, coming back out from the back, his hands full of shotguns, a rifle, and two handguns.

"Yeah, but were there any bullets, because otherwise they're gonna be big sticks." Paul said, and Rick held up several boxes of bullets in his other hand. "Sweet." Paul grinned and went back to gathering the bullets on the floor.

Ruby sat her finds by the door, and looked at the truck to be sure there was no threat there. "I'm going back out in a sec." Paul said to her and she nodded. When he'd taken the first load out, she walked back toward where Rick was, but a sign advertising archery caught her eye. She picked steps over fallen shelves, and pulled one away from the back corner. Underneath it were eight large bundles of carbon tipped arrows. With a wide grin, she lifted one and looked over to Rick.

"You think Daryl will like this?" She asked and he chuckled.

"I think he'll love them. But I have to say I'm getting a little jealous. You two are pretty tight now."

She put the arrows on the counter and walked over to him, her hands on her hips and a smirk on her face.

"Jealous, huh? Well, when we actually get to a place where we can be alone, I bet I can do something about that."

He raised his eyebrows and finished loading the rifle. Locking it back into place he looked down at her, his eyes stormy. "You promise something like that, I'll make sure we're alone."

She grinned and leaned up, kissing him firmly on the mouth. He let out a low growl from deep within his chest, and his arm wrapped around her tightly, gun pressed into her back.

The front door clanged open and Paul groaned. "Come on, you two."

Rick smiled against her lips and reluctantly let her go, but when she pulled back it seemed like his bright blue eyes had gone three shades darker. Lust rolled off him in waves, and when he held his finds in front of him to walk out the door and to the truck, she laughed a little to herself.

"This is great." Ruby said, getting back in between them in the truck. "They're gonna be so happy."

"Yeah, wasn't half bad." Rick nodded, steering them back down Main St. and toward the highway. "Let's just get back fast, then I can relax."

"Relax." Paul chuckled, his arm draping over the back of the seat, allowing Ruby to lean comfortably against it. "What's that again?"

"I can't remember." Rick said honestly, and they laughed together gently. With the windows rolled down and the easy peace between them of a job well done, they rode back with smiles almost on their faces.


	24. A Strange Safety

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC characters, Ruby and Paul, however, and I adore them._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression._

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I was a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little. Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

_**To Kit and Emberka- your continued reviews are awesome and well loved. You two are so sweet, I cannot tell you how much I adore you! This chapter is especially long, but I had trouble figuring out where to break it. Hope you folks don't mind. Anyway, we meet the new group here, so the question is, what are they really up to, if anything? Are they just good people wanting to help, or is there more to the story than our dashing Sheriff and his crew realize. What do YOU want to see happen? I'm curious. Should we cut and run, maybe go back to the cave or head on down the road, or should Rick and the others give Bob and his strange "family" a chance?**_

They pulled into the gravel roadway and parked next to the other cars. Getting out, they loaded up their arms as Daryl hopped up the hill and got to them.

"Looks like it went alright." He said, eying the almost full truck bed.

"You're not going to believe what we found. How was it here?" Rick asked, handing him a basket.

"We need to talk." Daryl said grimly and the three of them froze, turning toward him. "Didn't see any walkers in town, did you?"

"No. Why?" Rick asked warily.

"Doesn't look like we're alone out here, that's why. After you left we spotted a truck driving on the other side of the lake. Got everybody inside but me and Glenn, couldn't stop them from noticing the cars up there." Daryl shouldered his crossbow and Rick paled a little.

"What happened?"

"Two guys, said they had a place nearby they been holed up in a while. Invited us to come back, but they don't know about anybody but us two and you and the big guy. Got a whole group of 'em, from what he was sayin'. Some women, couple kids. Hell, said they had a church. Guess we looked like we needed preachin' to."

"How did they seem?" Ruby stepped forward and crossed her arms over her chest.

Daryl shrugged. "Offered us food, said to talk to you and they'd be back tomorrow to see if we wanted to come back."

"We can leave tonight." Rick said, his tone suddenly authoritative and serious. "Be gone before they get back."

"Well, wait now." Paul said. "Don't you think we should talk to everyone? These guys didn't try to disarm them, offered food. Maybe this is what we were looking for."

"You want to take that chance? After seeing the survivors we've seen so far?" Rick put his hands on his hips and looked at Paul with wide eyes. "They're probably watching us right now, for all we know. No, we pack up and leave, tonight."

"They ain't." Daryl shook his head. "I been around that water twice since, I'd have seen if they were."

"Come on, let's get this stuff down there, what we need at least. We can talk about it." Ruby said, eager to break up the small circle. Rick was getting worked up, and she didn't like it. Paul made a good point, and she wanted to talk to him about it.

Storing what they didn't need right away in the trunks and safely away from probing strangers, they got back down to the cave and saw Carol cooking up a small deer. Daryl must have been busier than they thought while they were gone. After they ate and Rick was aside talking to Carol and Carl, Ruby went to sit near Paul and Daryl.

"So, what are you two really thinking about the strangers?" She asked, and Daryl went thin lipped while he worked on tightening his bow.

"Don't like new people. Doesn't end well."

"I still don't think we should discount them this quickly. You said there were only two, right?" Paul said, and Daryl nodded. "I think we should hide everyone and wait for them to come back. We don't like what they say, we say no. And we outnumber them."

"What if they bring more?" Ruby asked.

"We just restocked on ammo. Daryl gets into a point of defense, Glenn in the cave waiting... I don't see how it should be a problem to take them down."

Ruby nodded, biting her lip. Rick came up behind her then, and she looked back up at him. "You ready to pack it up? We can be far down the road before it gets too dark."

"And go where?" Paul asked. "It's already late, and we've been talking."

Rick squatted, his eyes narrowed. "And making decisions, it sounds like." Even Daryl looked up at that one, but Rick continued. "Well, go on. What were you talking about?"

"Waiting to see what these fellas have to offer. We've been on the road how long and the best we've found were broken down farmhouses and caves. How much longer can we do this?" Paul was speaking a little higher than he normally did and Ruby put a hand on his arm. He stilled, and Rick looked at her.

"We can't give up now. We had the farm, and we can find a place just as good. I know we can. Where it's just us." Rick finished, and looked around to them. Sighing, he looked down at Ruby. He held out his hand. "Come on. I want to talk to you."

She nodded and got up, throwing a look back at Paul and Daryl as they went back up the hill to the cars. Once they got there, he let go of her hand and turned to face her.

"This what you want to do, or is it Paul's idea?"

She sighed and leaned back against the truck, rubbing her face tiredly. "I think we've run into some royal bastards so far. And I know I don't want to do anything that will put anybody here in jeopardy."

"But?" He asked, watching her closely.

"But, I like it here. I know we can't stay over the winter, but I wonder what we're going to find once we're back out on the road. We have just as much probability of running into crazies out there as we do with this new group, only this time we can be prepared. Out there... we drive right into it, and how do we protect ourselves?"

"What if they attack? You guys think of that?" Rick asked, and he seemed to be getting angry. She frowned and looked intently at him.

"Why did you ask me if you've already made up your mind? I don't want to start playing that game again. And yes, we did think of that. Paul had an idea, keeping Daryl in a good position to fire and Glenn in the cave. Keeping the others hidden until we know their motives." She stopped and sighed. "It didn't suck, you know."

He pressed his lips together, his hands going to that familiar place on his hips. Turning, he took a few steps away and stopped, his eyes on the ground as he thought. After a moment , he spoke but it was very soft and she strained to hear. "What if it goes bad? What if I can't protect you, or Carl, and something happens?"

She came up behind him and put a reassuring hand on his back. "I can't tell you nothing will happen, but I can say it won't be any more dangerous than getting back out on that road."

He looked back down at her, then turned and pulled her into his arms. She rested her cheek on his chest and felt him take a couple deeps breaths. "You swear you'll be safe?"

"When am I not?" She smiled and he chuckled softly, shaking his head.

"Fine. It'll be ok, we just have to stay on the defense. Watch out, and fire first."

"That's the spirit." She said and he looked down, raising an eyebrow at her.

"So..." He said, and she tilted her head curiously at him. "That alone time we were talking about."

She laughed. "You gotta be kidding. We have a camp full of people thirty feet away and it's broad daylight."

He looked hurt. "You don't want to?"

"I didn't say that. It's just... logistically, you know..." She began, but he let out a low growl like the one in the fisherman's store, and pushed her around the truck and out of sight of anyone who came up the hill. Leaning down, he kissed her hard, his mouth full of need and passion. Hands roamed her shoulders, her waist, her chest, and she lost her breath to his intensity. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she let him balance her against the warm metal of the truck and his hard body. She didn't want to fight it, screw anybody that saw as far as she was concerned, and she almost laughed at the hedonistic feeling of it. It was lost in a wave of desire, however, when he lifted her and she wrapped her legs around him.

The next morning came quickly. The men didn't tell Daryl exactly when they'd be back, so it was spent most waiting. The mood grew from nervous to downright anxious, and Rick ran through what they were all supposed to do several times. Finally, even Carl spoke up and told his father they had it down. Rick had nodded and Ruby felt a little bad for him. She went over to him when he took a spot on the hill to watch, and he took her hand tightly in his.

"It's going to be ok." She whispered and he nodded.

"Just wish I knew when they were coming."

"It's afternoon already, probably won't be too much longer."

As if on cue, a glint of sunlight off a windshield sparked in the distance on the other side of the lake and Rick pushed her quickly toward the cave. She ducked into the darkness and joined the others in the back room. Leaning back against the stone wall, she kept her ears pricked and her breathing as steady as it could be. Her eyes met Maggie's and the girl reached out to hold her hand. Ruby squeezed it reassuringly and they listened.

The men had adjusted their positions. Rick had suggested Paul stay just inside the cave instead of Glenn. If the strangers got too sketchy having the huge man walk out armed to the teeth would be more of a deterrent than anything. Daryl had hidden a while ago, and Rick wasn't even sure of where the hunter was, but he could feel his eyes on his back. The truck rounded the water and came to a stop a couple yards away. A tall man in clean but worn jeans and a white teeshirt got out of the drivers side, and his companion, a shorter, younger man with a shock of black hair and startlingly green eyes emerged from the other side. The driver gave Rick a bright smile, and Rick narrowed his eyes.

"You must be one of the fellas that had gone to town yesterday." Driver said, walking closer to them. They were armed, but their weapons were tucked away in their belts instead of in their hands like Rick and Glenn. "Nice to meetcha, man. I'm Bob Walkerson. This is my nephew Jimmy."

"Rick Grimes. Glenn here says you came by, to be honest we were wonderin' why." Rick said evenly, unwilling to show as much friendliness as Bob.

Bob tilted his head. "Well, saw your men out here and thought you might like a safer place than out here in the open. We got the room, and we could use the man power."

"Just like that? You don't know us, what if we weren't safe?" Rick asked, shocked at how trusting the man seemed to be.

"I like to think I'm a good enough judge of character and the guys from yesterday didn't seem so bad. Where's your friend, the one with the crossbow?" Bob asked amicably.

"He stepped away." Rick said, adjusting his stance. "What kind of a place is this?"

"I guess you could call it a farm, but it's a lot more than that. Few houses, a barn and a good solid fence. We got some animals and good huntin'. Water from the lake here, and some wells. And we got people. It's a rare thing out here, ain't it?"

"How long you been out there?" Rick asked.

"Some of us since the beginning. It was me and Jimmy's folks' place back in the 50's. Defended it pretty good, try to gather any good folks that pass by, give 'em shelter, someplace to start livin' again." Bob answered patiently. "Like I told your men, there's just about all kinds. Women, kids. We do the best we can."

"How can we trust you? You might get us back there and it's not what you said." Rick said.

Bob looked sad, and it took Rick back a little. He hadn't expected that. "You got burned out here, ain't ya, man? Come up on some folks with motives?"

"You could say that." Rick gave a curt nod.

"I'm real sorry about that. It's a shame when something like this sickness can't bring out the best in people, but I guess it's just what the world is." Bob let out a disappointed breath, but perked right back up. "Listen, you're welcome to come alone, leave your people out here. Check it out, and if you don't like it, you come right on back. You can even drive your own car, that way you know you can leave anytime you want to. I'd like you to trust me, but I know how hard that can be when you've seen the things that are happenin' out here."

Rick breathed out his nose and looked down at Glenn. He was rewarded with a shrug and a slight nod, to which he rubbed his chin thoughtfully and stared at the ground. As if Bob knew what he was thinking, he spoke up again. "Mr. Grimes, give it a chance. Truth is, we could use some men who know how to protect a group. We haven't even touched our weapons, and you've got yours in your hands. Doesn't that tell you somethin'?"

The man had a point. Rick wasn't getting any of the usual bad vibes off of either man. He looked over to Jimmy, who just stood listening patiently to his uncle, his arms crossed over his chest and his face calm. He was maybe Ruby's age, maybe a year older. Didn't look too weathered by any of the current standards with his youthful face and jet black hair. His teeth were almost too white, as Rick saw when he smiled.

"Rick?" Glenn whispered off to the side, and Rick leaned a little to hear him. "It doesn't sound too bad. We load up, follow them, if it looks bad we can turn around."

"You can." Bob spoke up. "Or you can come in, have a meal and a real bed to sleep in. I don't see tents, you stay in the cave?"

Rick wetted his lips and frowned, but nodded. "Paul?" He called out, and when Paul emerged from the cave both Bob and Jimmy's eyes got wide.

"He's a big fella, ain't he?" Bob chuckled, taking in all 6'6 and broad shoulders. "We might just put him at the gate and anybody who comes by'll just take off runnin."

Jimmy laughed at that, but Paul just took the hand Bob stuck out and shook it. Rick and Glenn did the same, with Glenn introducing himself at the end.

"We're not alone here. We have others, so if the offer doesn't still stand we understand." Rick said, but Bob shook his head.

"I wondered if you did. Guys don't usually stay together like this unless they're protectin' somethin'. Bring 'em out." Bob grinned, and Paul whistled like he had done when he'd found Ruby at the farmhouse. Gradually, she appeared at the cave door, Maggie, Beth, Hershel and Carol behind her. Carl ducked around them and came to stand next to his father and Bob looked down at him with a smile.

"Well, hey there, man. Who would you be?"

"This is my son, Carl." Rick put a protective hand on Carl's shoulders.

"Nice to meetcha, Carl. You help protect all these people, huh? It's a big job."

Carl seemed to be a little peeved at being spoken to like a child, but he just nodded. "Yeah, I do."

"Well, we got some young people about your age at the farm, you'll be among friends. If you folks are all packed up, we can get on back in time for Margie's friend chicken. Told her we might be bringin' some new people in and she's doing it special for ya."

"Come on, in the cars." Rickannounced, and they made their way up the hill and to the vehicles parked and packed full, Ruby beside Rick in the truck. Paul rode with Beth and Hershell and Carl. Ruby looked around and saw Daryl jogging toward the caravan and he climbed up on his bike, nodding to Rick in the driver's seat of the truck. Carol waited for him to get on and climbed up on the back, saying something to Daryl that he nodded at. The bike fell into place behind the truck, Paul driving behind that, and they took off after the truck Bob had driven in.

"Doesn't seem too threatening." Ruby said as they drove.

"Still gonna be watching them." Rick answered tensely, and she reached over, grabbing his hand on the wheel.

"I don't know what's going to happen, but thanks for giving it a try. If it's not safe, we'll get the hell out of there, ok?"

"Damn straight." He smirked at her, and she grinned.

It didn't take long till Bob turned and led them to a narrow road well past the lake, and then down a dirt road off of that to a long, tall cattle fence that had been reinforced with chain link. Wide and tall, it was imposing looking, something Rick would love to have between his people and the world, that was for sure. Jimmy got out and opened it, and they all drove through, stopping inside to wait for the young man. Rick felt that familiar nervous tingle when the latch snapped locked and they made their way down a thin gravel road and over a hill. They were inside, no going back now.

Buildings appeared over the crest, set about in a semi circle of sorts, with a large barn that Bob had spoken off to the right. He could see a small field of cattle and horses next to it, and it was so large he couldn't even see the entire fence that surrounded the property. People were working here and there around the buildings, tending to the animals and gardening in a good sized vegetable field on the opposite side of the main houses. The largest one sat in the middle, white and three stories high, black shutters on each window, with a charming country feel to it despite its size. Two smaller ones flanked it, identical, except for being two stories each. While it was pretty, it was the strangest looking farm he'd ever seen, and the idea of a compound occurred to him briefly. He'd never seen a set up like this in Kings County, or since he'd been traveling with his group.

Bob pulled to a stop near a few trucks parked in a circular drive in front, and they followed suit. Getting out, he saw Maggie's eyes glued to the horses, and felt Ruby move close behind him as he approached Bob.

"Well, what do ya think?" The thick man asked, hands on his hips and a proud smile on his face.

Rick nodded. "It's somethin', alright. Look like you're pretty set up." He was reserved, but had to give it to Bob, this was- at least on the surface- beautiful. Here's to hoping it wasn't Texas Chainsaw underneath, he thought grimly.

A grayish blond woman appeared on the expansive front porch of the main house, and shielded her eyes when she looked over the group. She was older, like Bob, both of them about 65, with a wide grin that grew even bigger when she began to approach. A mousy brunette woman about Rick and Daryl's age followed behind her, and a pale hair and eye teenage girl after her, and the first thing all of them noticed about the women was that they all carried the same long hair wrapped tightly in braided buns behind their heads, and skirts that danced over the dusty ground down to their feet.

"Are they amish?" Ruby whispered to Rick, but Bob spoke before he could answer.

"This is my wife, Margie. Our daughter Amelia, and this sweet girl is Rebeccah, our grand-daughter." He introduced them and Amelia and her daughter gave them soft but welcoming smiles as they looked over the more worn, ragtag group.

"Well, this is a blessing, isn't it?" Margie said, her voice even and cheerful as she took a stand next to her husband. "I thought you said it was just men folks, Bob."

He laughed lightly. "They grew a little since yesterday, I believe."

"Goodness then, welcome. All of you." Margie said, going to Carol and touching her shoulder warmly. A hand held out to Carl beside her, then Beth, she quickly inspected the women first and seemed to like what she saw because she nodded satisfactorily. "Why don't Amelia and I help you gather your things, ladies. We can show you in, get something in your stomachs, how does that sound?"

"We'll all go." Rick said quickly, unwilling to be parted so soon after arriving.

"Oh, don't worry, dear! I know Bob is just itching to show you men around, he's so proud of our home. Amelia and I are no threat, or any of the young ones inside. They'll be perfectly fine."

Ruby looked back at Rick and Daryl. She had her sidearm, as did Maggie, and Carol was armed with a good sized knife from Daryl's collection. Margie noticed them, but didn't say anything, and Amelia and Rebeccah stayed perfectly silent and obedient to their mother's word behind the woman. It was an odd dynamic in such a violent world, and it wasn't lost on any of them. Still, Ruby gave a nod to Rick, and while he pressed his lips together anxiously, he returned the nod curtly and watched Ruby, Carol, Maggie, Beth and Carl follow her into the house to the left of the main house.

With Paul, Daryl, Rick, Hershel, and Glenn left behind, they turned back to Bob, none of them especially relaxed now that the girls and Carl were not in sight. Daryl seemed a little more on edge even than the others, and was shifting from side to side frequently.

"Margie will take good care of 'em, don't worry, son." Bob noticed, but Daryl just frowned, his eyes trying to take in every possible threat. He glowered, though, at the "son" comment, but Bob didn't seem to be bothered by it.

"Who's all in there?" Rick asked, gesturing back to the house. There's no way it was just Margie and Amelia, and her daughter. Not with the as yet unidentified few men working the grounds.

"The ladies, most from neighboring farms and some that joined us here and there. Them and and young'uns stay in that one." Bob nodded after his wife. "The men, they stay over there in that house."

Uh-huh. Rick frowned at that and Paul's eyes met his, obviously thinking the same thing. They kept the men and women separate?

"Some of us prefer to stay together." Rick said, and Glenn nodded. There was no way he was sleeping without Maggie.

It surprised Rick to see Bob seem to brush the comment away. "Well, we can get to that later. Come on, I wanna show you what we got workin' here. I think you'll be mighty impressed, I really do."

The house was spacious but sparsely and conservatively decorated. It seemed most everything was useful, there for a purpose, but they could have cared less. The most glaringly obvious thing about the house were the lights and lamps turned on throughout. My god, these angels had electricity! Ruby looked back and beamed at her friends, gesturing to the lamp nearby, and they grinned right back.

Margie turned to the group and put her hands on her hips, her face expectant. "Why don't you tell me who you are, so I can address you properly." There were several women working and moving around in the house, cleaning and cooking from the sounds and smells, and the ones that passed by eyed the newcomers curiously. Ruby noticed they all wore the long skirts of Margie and her girls. So strange... and her tone so formal, even if it was overly friendly.

Carol spoke up first, though, trying to be polite. "Carol."

Margie nodded, looking over to Maggie. "Maggie Greene, and my sister Beth. The older man out there is our father."

"God bless you staying together. It's a miracle." Margie said genuinely, and Beth nodded softly. "And you, dear?" She looked to Ruby.

"Ruby, ma'am." Ruby couldn't help but adopt the formal tone of the older women, and Margie seemed to appreciate it. Putting a hand on Carl's shoulder, she pulled the boy closer to her. "This is Rick's son, Carl."

"The brown haired man?" Margie asked and Carl nodded. "Well, very nice to meet you. All of you. It will take some time to introduce you to all the ladies here, but you'll get it soon enough. Carl, I think you're old enough to stay with your father in the other house. You're quite the grown up young man."

"We don't stay together?" He asked, his eyes slightly alarmed. This was new, and he didn't like it. The only time he felt really safe was with everyone around at once.

"We like having the men out there, you know. Modesty is still a virtue, even if the world is different now, you know. " Margie said with a smile, as if they should accept it without question. "Come, let me show you ladies to your rooms."

Maggie looked at Ruby with a doubtful gaze. Oh, this was going to have to be spoken to Rick about. Ruby gave her a gesture that said to hang tight, it will be taken care of, and led them after Margie. No sense in starting trouble right after they got there, till they could get back to the guys.

The rooms they were shown to were clean, functionally furnished like downstairs, but comfortable. Twin beds in each, and Maggie and Beth were put into one on the second floor. Carol and Ruby were shown to the one after.

"Just put your bags down for now. You'll have plenty of time left to unpack and get all changed up soon." Margie announced, and Ruby couldn't help but notice her eyes falling over their loose fitting jeans and tank tops and tee shirts. They certainly didn't fit in with the long dresses and pulled back hair of the women they saw so far, but Ruby dreaded the possibility of having to change into such impractical things. It was a sure fire way to become walker-bait.

They weren't given a moment before Margie was marching them back downstairs and through an archway into a large kitchen. Four women were working in there, and the air was thick with the smell of meat and the temperature far too warm for comfort.

"You should like this. It's our lifeblood of the farm, you know. Men work on their stomachs." Margie announced proudly, and looked over to the women they had walked in on. At the attention, they lined up neatly to be introduced. "This is Sarah, Carlene, Honesty, and Beverly. Girls, meet our new guests."

The four women smiled and nodded to Ruby and the others, and they returned them reluctantly. It was so orderly and polite, Ruby felt a chill of uncertainty. Nothing was like this anymore, and she meant _nothing_. Still, she'd asked for this, asked Rick to give it a chance, and she was intent on seeing it through. At least until she found something to be legitimately creeped out _by_. Like a head in one of those pots, or matching pentagram tattoos or something. Giving a reassuring smile to the others, they followed Margie through the house, learning the layout quickly. When they were finished, she spoke up.

"Margie, this looks really nice. Would it be alright for us to go upstairs, maybe use the restroom and wash up?" She asked, fully intended to get the others alone for a moment.

"Oh, yes of course. And you'll probably want to change into something clean, won't you? Amelia, find some clothes for our friends here so they can wash what they have, won't you."

"Yes mother." Amelia said, speaking for the first time since they'd met her. The woman disappeared and Margie showed them back to the staircase. She stopped, however, when she saw Carl proceed to follow them up.

"It's ok. Carol takes care of him." Ruby said quickly, seeing the woman begin to protest. She hurried the others up the stairs and swept them into the room she and Carol had been given.

"Is anybody else getting a serious vibe here?" Maggie said as soon as the door shut behind them.

"A little bit. But I'm not sure what kind it is." Carol said, sitting down on the edge of the bed and frowning up at them. Carl grabbed a chair in the corner and listened.

"Why can't we stay with dad?" He asked, looking between them.

"Well, _you_ can, apparently." Ruby tried to sound cheery, so as not to further alarm the boy. "I don't know, maybe it's a religious thing. You see those skirts? The crosses on the doors? Keeping the unmarried people apart."

"Well, how does she know we aren't married? Glenn and I could be, for all she knows."

"We didn't introduce ourselves that way." Carol said. "I guess it's not the strangest thing in the world. If they are religious, I mean."

"Maybe not before, but now? They're really worried about that now?" Beth spoke up, and Ruby shook her head.

"I don't know Beth." She sighed. It didn't make any sense, but maybe it was an attempt to have control over something in a world where control was a rare find. Shaking her head, she continued. "If you guys are up for it, I say we play along for a while. Rick didn't want to come here, and I don't think Daryl did either. I'd hate to think we dragged them into this and then wanted to leave five minutes later because of sleeping arrangements."

It made sense. None of them wanted to do that. A knock sounded at the door, and Maggie went to it, opening it to reveal Amelia there, arms laden with clothing.

"I brought these for you. If you leave me your dirty things I can see that they are taken care of." The woman said with a tentative smile, and Ruby stopped to really look at her. She was mousy, her hair pulled back severely and face scrubbed clean. She had flattish brown eyes, and her nose was slightly large, pointed at the tip. When she smiled, her teeth were shown to be large, almost painfully so. She was plain, that was sure, but Ruby wondered if she spoke more than seven words if she might at least be interesting.

"Thanks." Maggie said, taking the clothes and shutting the door quickly. She brought them to the bed and hands went for them.

"You... you're kidding, right?" Maggie said, eying the long, dusty gray skirt she held up. Beth looked just as skeptically at the ¾ sleeved, collared blouse she'd picked up, and Carol scoffed slightly at the thick, huge pair of underwear she'd found. Everything looked like it was maybe homemade, and most definitely meant for modesty.

"I am _not_ wearing this." Maggie said, tossing the skirt down and flopping down on the bed next to Carol.

"I guess they aren't... _that_ bad." Carol attempted, but she ended up just looking lost.

"No, she's right." Ruby put her hands on her hips. "This stuff looks like it was made for a 90 year old woman. In 1972. But, our clothes could use a washing in more than lake water and I'd rather not offend them until we figure out what the hell is going on. What do you guys think?"

"Do we have to wear the..." Beth trailed off, and they knew exactly what she meant. The armor-like underwear was definitely off the list, and with Carl standing right there the girl was even blushing a little. Hell, Carl was blushing like he'd been set on fire.

"Absolutely not." Ruby grinned. "Carl, would you mind giving us a minute? We'll come get you in a sec, ok?"

Carl slipped out of the room, and they changed quickly, grimaces on each of their faces as they did so. Stuffing the offending underwear under the mattress, they looked at each other, and couldn't help but bursting out laughing. They looked terrible, so much so it was hilarious.

Rick was anxious to get back to the girls, and to Carl, so when Bob finished showing them what felt like every well and cow on the property he felt like his skin was on fire. God, finally, he thought when they began to head back, Bob still chattering away about his family's history on the farm. When they neared the houses again, Bob led them to the main one this time.

"Margie and I and our immediate family stay in here, but there's a lot more to see inside." He was saying, but Glenn had frozen mid step, sending Rick crashing into his back, and the young man stumbling forward.

"Good Lord..." Daryl said from beside him, and when Rick saw the stunned look on his face he followed his gaze. A moment later, he was sure his own face mirrored Daryl's exactly. Standing on the front porch with Margie were the girls, but they looked nothing like the people he knew. Dressed in dowdy, plain skirts and high necks blouses, their expressions were nothing short of defeated.

"Don't they look nice!" Bob exclaimed and stepped away toward them.

"I must be hallucinating." Paul said, barely containing his laughter. He rubbed his face with his palm and looked at Ruby's miserable expression.

"What did they _do_ to them?" Glenn asked, looking at Maggie with wide eyes. She saw it and returned his stare with a shrug, and a slight shake of her head.

"It's... different." Rick said, and stifled a laugh when he saw Ruby meet his eyes and scowl. She looked hilariously lost, pulling on the skirt with nervous hands and crossing her arms over her chest.

"Not my daughters at all, but it's not the worst thing I've ever seen." Hershel said, and the girls excused themselves from Margie when Bob reached them, crossing the yard quickly.

"Do you have a extra copy of the WatchTower, ma'am?" Daryl smirked when Carol got to him, and she glared at him.

"That's hilarious." She said flatly, her hands going to her short hair absently.

"We didn't have a choice. They wanted to wash our clothes." Ruby said when she neared Rick, passing Glenn and Maggie who had all but huddled together. Rick stepped back with Ruby, giving them a semblance of privacy under the watchful eye of their hosts.

He grinned at her. "It's, uh... it's interesting." Truthfully, the clothes were so horrible it was actually adorable. And her face, trying so desperately not to scrunch up and offend Margie made it all the more so. He didn't want to do anything but wrap her in a tight hug, offer some sort of escape from her misery.

"Yeah, yeah." She rolled her eyes. "How did the tour go? You think it's safe here?"

He shrugged, looking over as Paul came up beside her and listened. "A hell of a lot better than anything we had before. Six foot tall fence, you saw that. Reinforced. Everything we need is inside, plenty of manpower from what I saw to back it up."

She bit her lip and looked around, nodding slightly. "That's something, I guess. And Bob, he still seem, I don't know... sane?"

"Seems like. A little too cheerful for his own good, but I guess you got that already." Paul said with a grin. He was a little too smug about her particular situation and she glared at him for a moment.

"Margie smiles so much I think it's pasted on, but she seems ok. Fashion sense aside. But..."

Rick tilted his head. "But?"

She shook her head, looking up at him with her big eyes. "I don't know, it's just weird, I guess. I'm not complaining, it's not overwhelming or anything, but the way they all listen to her, don't speak unless spoken to. You should have seen the women in the house, Rick. They're all dressed like this, cooking and cleaning, and none of them are carrying a weapon. Who does that?"

"You hear that stuff about a 'man's' house and a 'woman's house?" Paul said, hands going to his hips and eyes to Bob and Margie.

"Yes!" She exclaimed, before quieting herself quickly. "Yes, that's what I mean. I don't understand. Margie even said Carl was too old to stay with us, like he's some kind of... man threat. There are crosses all over the place, too. Are you sure they aren't Amish?"

"I don't think so, not the way the men dress. Doesn't match. So, you sayin' you want to leave?"

The others broke from their individual conversations when they noticed the intensity of Ruby's voice, and when they gathered close she waited for them to still before continuing. "What's our alternative? Nothing's changed, and we go back out there with the walkers?"

"So we're staying?" Glenn asked, and Rick frowned.

"Vote on it." He reasoned. "What do you guys want to do?"

"We stay here, at least we're safe. You saw that fence, nothing is getting by it easy." Maggie said.

"We could go back to the cave." Beth offered softly from between Paul and her father. She looked around to all of them, trying to gauge their expressions. "It was safe there, wasn't it?"

"I don't think we know enough yet to make a decision. Why don't we stay tonight, talk about it again in the morning." Paul said, and Maggie and Glenn looked sadly at each other. Obviously the idea of spending the night apart in a new place was taking its toll far worse than their attire.

"I think so too." Carl said, and they looked down at him surprised. He looked a little offended for such a small person. "I _have_ been paying attention, you know. We haven't had a fence like that yet."

"He's got a point." Hershel said, and Rick nodded. Bob was coming over, and he quickly ended the conversation.

"It's settled, then. For now." He said, and they turned to Bob when he got to them.

"Everything ok, folks?" He asked, and Rick nodded.

"Just fine."

"Good, then." Bob grinned. "Hope you're hungry, dinner is all ready for us. Give you a chance to meet everybody good and proper."


	25. Maggie's Fury

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC characters, Ruby and Paul, however, and I adore them._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression._

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I was a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little. Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

_+++Your responses to my question were a great help, everyone! Thank you for taking the time, it really helped me get my mind in the game here. I was going to let the ramp up to excitement with the new group take a little longer, but I'm an impatient sort, I am. So, whooo-eee! Here we go!_

The dining room was buzzing with activity when they got there, everyone from the farm seemed to have gathered while the group was having their discussion. The first thing they noticed was that the women sat mostly on one side, the men on the other. Man, did these people separate _everything_, Ruby thought as Margie ushered the ladies in first. The thought that she would be kept apart from Rick by the house was infinitely depressing, and she fought to grab the seat directly across from him. He gave her an encouraging smile as they sat, and she returned it gratefully.

Maggie and Glenn didn't seem to fall into line as easily as everyone else, and took seats next to each other despite the disappointed glance Margie and Bob gave them. Perhaps it was because everything was so new, but nothing was said, and Ruby kicked herself for not doing it herself with Rick.

"Well, this is a big day for us all. The good Lord has seen fit to send us a strong and brave new group of friends, and we welcome you with open arms." Bob took the lead at the end of the table, and spoke to the people now sat down and watching him. He went on, and Ruby tuned out, taking the opportunity to observe the others.

There were 17 people in Bob's camp, including his wife, daughter, and grand-daughter, all of varying age. The one common thing was that they were primarily white, except for a teenage boy who looked as if he may be native american and a very light skinned older black woman near the opposite side of the table. Names were introduced around, but it would be a miracle if she remembered them in a few minutes. She was simply too tired and too over trying to understand what was going on here to give her full attention. At one point however, she did notice Jimmy, two seats down from Rick, watching her closely while Bob went on about God's grace and generosity in gifting them with the farm and each other. She frowned when he realized she had caught him staring, his eyes going back down to his empty plate. He was a decent enough looking guy, nothing special though, and certainly nothing next to Rick, so dark and strong and tall. When Jimmy blushed and his eyes drifted back up, Ruby focused all her attention on Rick, hoping the young man would get the hint.

He wasn't the only one keeping a sharp eye on them, either. Amelia sat next to her daughter and closely inspected them, her eyes boring in like dull little beads on Ruby's face, then to Rick, then back to Ruby. Much to Ruby's surprise, she sniffed conceitedly, loud enough to be heard, and lifted her chin as she turned away. What the hell was that about.

God, it felt like Bob took forever, droning on and on. Finally, he slowed, and when they felt he was done, Daryl reached forward and grabbed a roll from a bowl nearby. A small, choked cry of protest came from the table and Margie gave him a stern look.

"We say a blessing to the Lord before we eat, young man."

Daryl frowned, taking a slightly frustrated breath as if to say 'what has this guy been doing all this time?', but he dropped the roll and crossed his arms over his chest. When the hands began to latch together in preparation, his arms remained crossed. He'd be damned if he was going to hold hands with Paul and some stranger, and Ruby gave him a amused wink. The young man who'd reached out to him faltered, and placed his hand beside his plate instead, blushing embarrassedly. They really seemed like a very naive, young group, and Ruby wondered how they had managed to stay that way, or if it was a very well put on act.

Dished began being passed, forks clanking gently as they began. Bob situated his napkin in his neckline and looked to Rick as he started to eat.

"So, what do you think of everything so far, Rick?" He asked amiably.

Rick swallowed the mashed potatoes he'd taken a bite of and nodded. "Seems like you have everything under control." Ruby almost laughed out loud. That was the understatement of the year.

Bob just shook his head though, half amused, half almost sad. "Far from it, I'm afraid. We've managed, but we've lost people, probably a lot like you. Amelia's husband, Jonathan, was lost just three months ago, God rest his soul."

"Sorry to hear that." Rick gave Amelia a sympathetic nod, and she returned it, but the emotion didn't reach her eyes. She went back to silently dishing out a plate for Rebeccah.

"But, we can't focus on the sadness, not when such doors are being opened now, can we?" Margie smiled. "Tell us about you. Where are you all from?"

"Everywhere, really, but we really got together here in Georgia. I was a police officer in Kings County." Rick said, taking the stress of explaining off the others. "Some of us met in Atlanta when we were getting out, the rest a bit south at a farm owned by Hershel here."

"Is that right?" Bob said, interestedly.

"Yes, but it wasn't as large as this, or as well protected, unfortunately." Hershel said over his fried chicken. Ruby listened as they went on about histories, families, and picked at her chicken.

"Ruby, Maggie, I notice you're carrying guns. Is that something you do often?" Margie asked, looking at them critically.

Was this lady for real? Maggie looked over at her with wider eyes that usual. "Of course." Ruby responded, confused.

"Bob and the others make sure we're very well protected here, dear. You don't have to worry about continuing that practice, especially in the house with the children." Margie spoke finally, like a decision had just been made. They'd dressed her like a church lady and now they wanted her unarmed? Why? Because she was a woman? Oh hell no...

She suddenly felt claustrophobic at the large table, in such a big but deliberately plain room, surrounded by people who were watching them all the time. Bob's group was so different from theirs- they just sat there listening like bumps on a log, faces registering only slight interest here and there. A hot flash swept through her chest and rose to her face, and she took several deep breaths in quietly.

"Hey." Beth whispered from next to her. "You ok?"

Ruby smiled weakly, not hungry at all and wishing she could be outside. "Just tired."

Beth didn't seem convinced, but she left it alone and gave Ruby room to breath. Margie seemed to notice, and changed the subject at the table.

"I expect you all are _very_ tired, being out there so long. I can't even imagine." She said, and when they just quietly nodded, she continued. "But I think you'll find that getting back into the pace here will do you good once you do. We're hard working people, we abide and go on. Does no good to dwell on the past or what's going on out there, don't you agree?"

"How do you protect yourself then? It's hard to ignore what's going on out here." Paul said, and they looked at him firmly.

"God's provided a way, we listen and follow it." Bob said like it explained everything, and his group let out a round of approving nods.

"I got nothing against God, sir, not at all. But I have to tell you not a lot of people feel that way out there. At least, not the ones we seem to have run into." Paul continued, despite the curious glances from the others. Ruby understood, though. He was a long time atheist, a subject they had had many late night conversations over pitchers of beer out on the road.

"Well," Bob said, his face growing slightly dark. "I guess it's good you found us, then, isn't it?"

With that the tone seemed to change a little. Everyone was slightly uncomfortable, and dinner became a little more rushed, the conversation softer and more banal. Finally, Margie rose and took her husband's plate.

"Why don't you ladies give me a hand clearing up. We have coffee we can take outside."

Ruby looked at Rick in shock as Bob led the men away. What was this, 'wait on our men folk day'? He gave her an uncertain shrug as they made their way out of the room, and she let out a deep breath. This is not the way she preferred to spend her time, fitting in some old fashioned and out of date woman's role. In fact, Carol, who had spent the majority of her life with Ed in exactly such a role, looked a little green. Ruby put a hand on her elbow comfortingly as they went back into the kitchen, garnering a small smile from the woman.

"I hate this." Maggie groaned from her bed, staring at the ceiling. Her sister looked over to her compassionately as she brushed her long blond hair out.

"I know." She said softly. She wasn't having any more fun than Maggie away from the rest of their group. Quite frankly, it gave her the heebie jeebies. Rick and Paul, Daryl and Glenn had proven to be more than capable, being away from them gave her a decidedly unsafe feeling. Honestly, she wanted nothing more than to sit somewhere next to Paul and just listen to him talk. He was so comforting.

Maggie groaned again and sat up. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" Beth looked up from the bed she sat on at her sister, and twisted her fingers together nervously.

"I want to see Ruby." Maggie answered, her face a mask of determination. The house lay quiet for such an early hour, and they weren't seen as they slipped from their door to the one next door. After dinner and a short period where they attempted a social gathering but failed miserably, Margie had announced bed time and ushered them away from the rest of the group again.

Ruby jumped visibly when Maggie opened the door and she and Beth slipped in quietly. She'd been sitting at the window beside Carol looking out, hoping to catch Rick passing by. The space between them since coming here had been growing increasingly painful. She knew it was for him, too. The look on his face when they'd been taken away to sleep for the night spoke of longing, and not a tiny hint of lust. Even in those horrid clothes, she thought to herself with a smile. She'd changed into a teeshirt and boy shorts as soon as she and Carol were alone, and the two of them had fallen into an almost sad silence there at the window together.

"Tell me again why we came here." Maggie almost hissed as she flopped over Ruby's bed and put her chin in her hands.

"Because we didn't fancy getting eaten." Ruby said grimly. They were all feeling it, it was almost tangible in the air, and she wondered if the men they longed for were in that other house staring at each other the way they were.

"Oh, that's right." Maggie answered flatly, and Ruby had to let out a little chuckle.

"Hey, did any of you get your clothes back yet?" Beth asked, and they looked around to each other.

"No, but it hasn't been long." Carol said.

"The way the women work around here they should have been done in an hour." Ruby said. She hadn't thought about it, being too preoccupied all day.

"Maybe they want us to do them ourselves." Beth reasoned.

"Then wouldn't they have left them with us, not taken them away." Maggie answered. "I bet they burned them. Tank tops are the devil's work, right?"

They chuckled at that, but they obviously didn't think she was too far off the mark. "Man, I really hope they didn't. It's not like we have a lot to begin with, finding something else is going to be a bitch." Ruby sighed.

"Yeah." Beth said softly. The four of them fell quiet, not knowing exactly what to do, but being grateful to at least have each other to talk to for a moment.

"What do you think happened to Amelia's husband?" Maggie asked, anxious to break the quiet.

"They said he died." Said Carol.

"No, they said they 'lost him'. Maybe the poor bastard ran away." Ruby said sarcastically, but she felt a little bad immediately. He did leave a little girl behind, after all. She opened her mouth to correct herself, but the sound of Paul's bird whistle sounded outside, low and secretive. She flew to her feet and ran to the window, the others close behind her. Paul stood in the shadows outside beneath a tree looking up at her, and she grinned widely when she saw him.

"Hey you." She whispered gratefully. Beth was beaming beside her, and she stifled an amused chuckle. The girl had it bad.

"How's it going up there, Songbird?" He looked around, and when he saw the coast really was clear, he looked around for a way closer to the second floor. He settled on the tree, and quickly climbed the broad trunk, coming to rest on a large branch closest to them. He was almost eye level from his perch several feet away, and they could speak easily now.

"Better now." She said, throwing a teasing glance Beth's way. She was rewarded by a furious blush and downcast eyes that quickly returned to her handsome friend. "How are you guys?"

"Deaf, I think. Bob is a talker, man." He grinned and they all laughed softly.

"How's Glenn?" Maggie asked longingly.

"Missing you. If he sighs one more time he just might hyperventilate."

Maggie looked very pleased with that. Ruby grinned, and he continued. "And before you ask, Rick and Daryl are moping around too, but I can't imagine why."

He was teasing harder this time, and Carol raised an amused eyebrow at him. "I don't know what you're suggesting."

He chuckled. "How'd you get away?" Beth asked softly and he tilted his head at her.

"Not hard if you're careful. Just had to avoid some guys at the front keeping watch. Thought I'd come see if a jailbreak was in order."

"On the first night? You have no willpower, man." Ruby gave him a serious shake of the head and he looked reluctantly at her.

"Oh yeah? Well, I guess I can always leave you guys here..." He started to push off of the branch, but their whispered protests made him stop and grin. "That's better."

"I still don't get the whole separation thing." Maggie said, frustrated. "What are they so afraid of?"

Paul gave a low scoffing chuckle. "Girl, the way you and Glenn are always sneaking off together, they're probably worried about little Rhee's running around."

"The world should be so lucky." Maggie retorted, and when they looked at her with wide eyes she corrected herself. "Someday! I meant, someday. Not right now. Jesus, people.

"All I'm saying is that I only care what my own father says about who I want to be with, and he loves Glenn. Why should we put up with this?"

"It's just for tonight. We'll talk to them about it tomorrow. We just needed to get some sleep the first night, not cause too many waves straight off the bat. We are guests here, after all." Paul said.

"_That_ I can deal with. I guess it just felt like we were going to be doing this forever." Ruby said. "How's Rick, really?"

"Feeling the place out. Looking for any weak spots, making sure we're safe. But he's not any happier about it than you are, trust me."

She wanted to ask him so badly how he knew that, but a sound from the main driveway drew all their attention. Paul hunkered down in the tree, waiting to be sure they were still unnoticed. "I better get back." He whispered after a few minutes.

"Can you wait? Just a few minutes, ok?" Beth said, and he smiled at her.

"Sure."

"I'm going to get some sleep." Ruby yawned, and he nodded. "You two hang out long as you want."

The invitation to stay in her and Carol's room was a welcome one for both Maggie and Beth, neither of whom really wanted to go back to their room.

"'Night Songbird, Carol, Maggie." Paul called out and Ruby blew him a friendly smooch, retreating from the window to give Beth the semblance of privacy with her crush. Beth settled in the window frame, and Maggie walked back to Ruby's bed.

"You can sleep here, Mags." Ruby said, pulling back the covers for her friend, and the smile she got spoke volumes. The girl was lonely, and so was Ruby honestly. She loved going to sleep watching Rick keeping watch over them, or in a pallet near her. Maggie curled up into the pillow on the other side of the bed, and as Ruby fell asleep she could still hear the faint whispers of Paul and Beth at the window.

Morning came quickly, as she had hoped, and when Ruby opened her eyes she saw Maggie still sleeping hard next to her. Sitting up, Beth was curled up with a blanket in a chair near the window. From her posture, she'd fallen asleep still talking with Paul, and Ruby grinned.

"They are so cute." Carol whispered, and Ruby looked over to find the woman awake and snuggled in bed watching the sleeping young woman.

"I never thought I'd see Paul like that." Ruby said gently. "He's such a big toughie. That girl's got him whupped and I love it."

Carol smiled and sat up, and the two of them set about getting ready quietly, so as to let the sisters sleep a little longer. A sharp knock at the door, however, ended that when the girl's both woke violently, startled.

Ruby frowned and answered the door. Amelia stood there with an alarmed look on her face, but relaxed a little when she saw Maggie and Beth behind Ruby.

"There you are. We were worried when we didn't see your beds slept in." Amelia said curtly.

"Stayed up late talking, Amelia. They fell asleep here, it's ok." Ruby said, not knowing how to take the woman's reaction.

"Hm. Is there a problem with your room?" Amelia asked, and Maggie narrowed her eyes.

"No." She said flatly, refusing to grace her with any more of a response.

"Good. Mother wanted me to remind you, should I find you, that sleep is necessary to a healthy mind and body. Hopefully you can be comfortable enough tonight to stay in your own room." Amelia raised her chin a little haughtily and backed up a step. "Breakfast is preparing now, I trust you'll want to come help."

"I'll go." Ruby said quickly, noticing the deep redness over Maggie's angry face. The girl was getting ready to blow a gasket, and Ruby very much wanted to talk to Rick before a beat down occurred. She was more than pissed herself, but she struggled to keep her compusure as she looked at Amelia.

"Don't you want to get dressed first?" Amelia looked critically at the jeans and sleeveless teeshirt Ruby had retrieved from her bag. She looked past to Carol, who had also donned her old clothes. There was nothing wrong with Carol's shift dress, it was a pretty blue color, even if it was worn more than a little.

"I am dressed." Ruby said curtly, leaning over to hand Amelia the stack of clothes they had lent to them earlier. "Thank you for loaning these to us, but we're ok now."

Amelia looked taken aback. Stuttering for a moment, she took the clothes Ruby pushed into her arms, and she and Ruby disappeared out into the hallway, closing the door behind them.

"God love that girl." Carol said, and Maggie smirked, though she was obviously still fuming.

"Oh, don't you start, too."

Carol smiled lightly. "You know what I meant. She'll get to Rick, and we'll get this straightened out. It might not be so bad, Bob at least doesn't seem too unreasonable."

"Yeah, we'll see." Maggie said reluctantly. She left the room to retrieve her bags from the other room, and Beth smiled at Carol.

"And Paul says he'll do something, too. They'll get it fixed, I know they will."

Carol nodded and finished getting ready quickly. She wanted to get down to the kitchen to back Ruby up, the thought of the poor girl down there with Margie alone made her nervous.

"Oh, that's it!" They heard Maggie shout from the other room, and they were out the door in a flash. They found her standing in the middle of the room going through her mostly empty bags. She looked up at them, her eyes wide and furious. "They took them! All our jeans, shirts, even the underwear!"

"What?" Beth squealed, going to her own duffel in the corner. Sure enough, her clothes were gone too, all that was left were her personal care things. Hairbrush, toothpaste, things like that.

"I'm getting them back, now!" Maggie growled, and as she tried to launch herself out the door Carol grabbed her arm.

"Maggie, hold on. You can't go down there like that. You're too angry." Carol looked at the tank top and tiny shorts Maggie had slept in. "We don't know them well enough, get your stuff and come with me."

Maggie contained herself long enough to fume, but follow Beth and Carol back to her room. Carol took the liberty of grabbing a combination of her and Ruby's clothes for Maggie to wear while she tried to calm the girl. By the time Maggie had thrown on the pants and shirt Carol handed her, and Beth did the same, Maggie fury had become more focused. Carol swallowed hard as she followed the rapidly moving young woman down the stairs and to the main kitchen where they knew they would find Margie.

Ruby filled the glasses around the dining room table with water before everyone gathered for breakfast. Two of the women, Honesty and Carlene, filled the table with plates of eggs and homemade biscuits. She hadn't tried talking to them, she was far too busy looking for any sign of Rick to come through the door, very much wanting to talk to him. When she heard Maggie's voice in the kitchen, raised and angry, her heart leapt into her chest, and she rushed toward it.

"I want them back, Margie. Where are they?" Maggie was saying, palms flat on the center island of the kitchen, face drawn and pissed off. Carol and Beth stood behind her anxiously, and she met Carol's worried eyes.

"What's wrong, Maggie?" Ruby cut in quickly. Margie was standing by the stove, a large spoon in her hand and a calm expression on her face, but something about it creeped Ruby out dramatically.

"Your young friend here doesn't appreciate what we're doing for her." Margie said, and Maggie's eyes narrowed.

"Appreciate?" Maggie's voice went several octaves higher. "You went through our stuff, took all our clothes! Why the hell would I appreciate that?"

"Do NOT curse in here young lady, I am warning you. We do not tolerate vulgarity in this household." Margie said sharply, and Ruby put her hands up to calm both of them.

"Wait. Just wait. Margie, did you take Maggie's clothes?" She said as evenly as she could. No wonder Maggie was pissed. God, she'd be livid, she thought.

"I did her and her sister here a favor. Those tight little shirts and tight pants aren't appropriate. Do you know what temptation you put on men when you dress like that? Especially now." Margie answered plainly, like it was a perfect explanation, and reasonable at that. Everyone's eyes widened, and Maggie began to visibly shake. Her mouth opened and closed silently, her fury taking away any words she might once have had.

"Margie, give us the clothes back." Ruby said, her own anger taking over.

"It's too late, they're gone." Margie turned back to the stove and stirred a pot disinterestedly. "We gave you clothes, Maggie, which you and your friends rudely returned, in fact. You'll thank me, young lady, when you find a good god fearing man that respects you and doesn't just want your body."

"Margie." Ruby spoke low, and the danger in her voice made Margie pause and look at her curiously. "Where are the clothes?"

"We burned them."

"You WHAT?" Maggie's voice came back all at once. She launched herself toward Margie, but Ruby grabbed her and pulled her away. Speaking over Maggie's outraged shouts, she looked over to Carol as she struggled to hold the girl.

"Go upstairs, get our stuff. Go, Beth! Go with her and get back down here." Ruby shouted and when Carol and Beth went for the door, Carlene and another woman stood in their way.

"Oh, no you don't." Carol said, shoving past them and taking Beth's hand. Ruby heard them clatter up the stairs and turned back to Margie, who was gesturing to one of her group silently.

"Rick!" Ruby started yelling as loud as she could while taking off with Maggie toward the front door. Maggie wanted nothing more than to get to Glenn, away from Margie and this damn farm, and they barreled together toward the sunlight streaming through the open screen door. As they got to it, however, Jimmy appeared on the other side and held the door closed. Ruby found herself nose to nose with the young man through the screen, and his large eyes narrowed. Screaming for Rick again, she yelped when Maggie let out a grunt and fell to the floor. Looking back in terror she saw Margie, that same heavy wooden spoon in her hand, behind them. The bitch had knocked Maggie out with it. Taking her distraction as his advantage, Jimmy let himself in the door and grabbed Ruby from behind, twisting her arms around behind her and clamping his broad hand over her mouth.

She screamed, but it was muffled by his hand, and she fought so hard Margie lifted the spoon again to hit her.

"Wait, I got her. Don't hit her." She heard Jimmy say, his voice low and determined. He wrapped his arm around her neck, cutting off her air supply. As her vision and hearing dimmed, just before she passed out, she heard Carol scream her name.


	26. Jimmy

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC characters, Ruby and Paul, however, and I adore them._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression._

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I was a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little. Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

_+++Your responses to my question were a great help, everyone! Thank you for taking the time, it really helped me get my mind in the game here. I was going to let the ramp up to excitement with the new group take a little longer, but I'm an impatient sort, I am. So, whooo-eee! Here we go!_

Bob had gathered the men just before dawn to do perimeter checks on the fence, and Rick stood at the front gate, his hand over his eyes in the bright early morning sunlight, while Bob and Paul made an adjustment to the metal enclosure. They all had slept hard despite being away from the girl. Well, besides Paul. The only reason Rick hadn't gone with him on his little adventure last night was because Carl had been nervous, and he was counting the moments till he could get back and see Ruby.

He had woken when Paul had slipped back in, a mere couple hours before dawn, and had teased the man lightly. The house was more dorm than anything, and he was sharing a room with Paul and Carl.

_The movement at the open window woke Rick with a start, and he'd reached for his Python, but seeing Paul slide back in quietly he'd stopped._

_ "How are they?" He'd whispered, and Paul looked surprised to see him awake._

_ "Fine enough, just nervous, I think. That Margie is a bull, isn't she?" Paul sat on the edge of his bed and pulled his boots off._

_ "I'd sleep with one eye open, that's for sure." Rick had nodded before grinning. "You were gone a while. Didn't break any 'rules', did you?"_

_ Paul had chuckled. "Probably, but nothing anybody needs to be concerned about."_

_He laid back in his bed. "Ruby asked about you, not that you should be surprised."_

_ Rick looked at him with a sigh. "She's really ok?"_

_ Paul looked at him, amused. "You know Ruby. She's probably the only thing keeping those girls together right now. Especially Maggie. Chick is practically vibrating over there without Glenn."_

_ They'd turned over to get some sleep then, and Rick had fallen asleep with Ruby's face firmly behind his closed eyelids._

"Well, let's head on back to breakfast, what do ya say?" Bob spoke, breaking Rick out of his thoughts and wiped his hands together rapidly. They all walked back, Daryl falling into place with Rick behind Glenn and Paul, Bob taking the lead, and were almost back to the house when one of Bob's men, Randy- Rick remembered from the previous night- jogged up to them. He said something low to Bob, who frowned for a moment before pasting a jolly smile on his face and looking back at them.

"Margie set up breakfast in the main house for us, guess the girls are getting on better than we thought. Girls already ate together. Guess their gettin' on better."

Rick narrowed his eyes and Daryl looked at him warily. The smile on Bob's face didn't reach his eyes, and from what Paul had said last night, he doubted Ruby would willingly miss the chance to see him. He had been aching to see her, she had to feel the same way.

"That's fine, but I'd like to talk to Ruby for a minute anyway, Bob." Rick said easily, testing the waters. Bob paused, shrugging.

"You got it, Rick. After breakfast we'll go find 'em, ok?"

"How 'bout before, _Bob_?" Daryl spoke up, and his voice carried much more darkness than Rick's.

"Why would we want to go buggin' em when they're getting' to know each other?" Bob answered, stopping and turning around completely to them. Crossing his arms over his chest, Randy in a similar position behind him, Rick felt his heart speed up. Something was very wrong.

He itched to pull his weapon, but Rick wouldn't do anything to jeopardize the girls. "Bob, we want to see our group." He spoke evenly but firmly, making sure Bob knew it wasn't a request.

Sighing, Bob frowned and nodded. "Fine. Come on, then."

The entire tone of the group changed with that statement, and Rick and the others were immediately on point. One of two things was going to happen right now. They were going to be taken to the girls and feel like jackasses, or they were about to fight for their lives, and from Daryl's stance it didn't look like he thought it would be the former any more than Rick did. Soundlessly, hands went to weapons as they began following Bob and Randy to the main house. Rick silently wished he had a place to put Carl, safe and away from him until he knew exactly what was going on. Not having that, he pulled the boy, who had been following his every step since the night before, closer.

Carl's eyes met his fathers, and when Rick flicked his eyes to the place he had told Carl to hide the small gun he'd given him on the farm, Carl understood. Giving his father a slight nod, he looked ahead, his posture tensing like the rest of them.

As they neared the houses, Rick saw the windows and doors of the womens' had been closed, and it looked locked down. Several men from Bob's group had gathered here and there, trying not to make it look like they were watching Rick's group but failing badly. They were, Rick realized, being led into a trap.

He froze, and the others fell into a kind of formation around Carl. Bob saw, and his face fell into a decidedly resigned expression. Weapons had been freely drawn on Rick's side, but Bob just looked at them passively.

"I wouldn't recommend that, Rick. Why don't you go on and put the gun away. Better yet, go on and give 'em to Randy here."

Rick raised his eyebrow. "I don't think so. Where are the girls?"

"Safe. They got a little out of hand this morning, that's all. I think if you give Margie half a shot she can get this fixed up, right as rain."

"Out of hand?" Glenn spoke up, worry all over his young face. "What does that mean?"

"Doesn't much matter. If they'd have listened to Margie, we wouldn't be having this talk right now." Bob shook his head. "Point is, you don't hand over the guns, I'm sorry to say you won't be getting' to them to do much of anythin'."

Rick felt a burn of fury bubble up in his chest. They were threatening his life here, and if they thought it was going to end well, they were wrong. Daryl, however, was the first to speak up. Leveling his crossbow at Bob's head, the others in the man's group that had taken objection to the threat and were now freely aiming at them from all around.

"You ain't walkin away from this you don't tell us where they are, man. And I guarantee you ain't getting us all."

Rick had to take this down a notch. He didn't know where Ruby and the others were, if they were armed or not, and his son was currently being aimed at. Sticking out a hand, he put it toward Daryl, and lowered his own gun.

"Come on, let's calm down here. What did they do, Bob?"

The man narrowed his eyes, but seemed to consider Rick's change of heart. "I haven't gotten the whole story, but something about sassin' Margie. Looks like the tall one got a little violent."

"Maggie?" Glenn yammered, his gun faltering. Paul was looking to Rick to see what the plan was, and he lowered his own gun as well slightly.

"Let's have breakfast. We can talk about it. Daryl?" Rick said, struggling to disarm Bob with his seeming change of heart. Bob apparently wanted to believe it, because he gave a short nod. Daryl looked at Rick like he was crazy, but let out a disgruntled groan and dropped his crossbow. The firearms aimed at their heads around them also began to move, most of the men who held them were satisfied Bob had it under control and began to come out, some going into the house and others lowering the weapons and coming to stand nearby.

"Head on into the house, then." Bob said, and they followed him and the others. Randy brought up the rear, but Rick was able to meet eyes with each of his group, and their silent communication was never so welcome. He hoped they were going to be able to pull this off.

Once inside the large front foyer of the main house, Bob looked over to Randy. "It would make us feel an awful lot better if you went ahead and gave up those guns until we're sure you don't aim on pointing them at us again."

Rick pulled Carl behind him, and Paul and Daryl silently moved closer to the boy, shielding him as best they could. Paul turned his gun around and handed it out to Randy, and when the scruffy young man came close to get it, Paul jerked back and before anyone could blink he had Randy pinned, his gun to his head.

"Drop it, Bob. Warning you, man." Paul said darkly, but Bob had now pulled his own sidearm and everyone's guns were aimed at someone now. It was on.

Luckily, the way the foyer was shaped meant that Rick and the others were now standing in a prime position to defend themselves, and Bob's group were bottlenecked into the hallway going to the dining room. They had turned and were looking frantically at Randy held hostage in Paul's steely grip.

"You don't wanna do that, young man. I'm tellin' you." Bob said, aiming at Paul as best he could.

Rick was done. He looked over at Glenn, who reached in and grabbed Carl, pulling him into the side foyer mud room. It was closed off from the rest of the house, so he knew they wouldn't be flanked and attacked. He put Carl inbetween himself and wall, his gun aimed at anyone who followed, and the house exploded into a barrage of gunfire.

Ruby woke up slowly, her head swimming with a deep seated headache and confusion. What the hell was going on? She struggled to remember how she'd gotten here, to this darkened room in what looked like a basement, laying on a cot in a corner.

"Ugh." She groaned, sitting up, and rubbed her head painfully.

"You're awake." She heard Amelia's voice before she saw the woman, and she came out of the dim corner on the other side of the room into the light of the candles along the wall. When Ruby saw her pinched face, she remembered everything. Margie knocking Maggie out, and Jimmy cutting off her air supply.

"Where's Maggie?" Ruby went for her sidearm, but of course it was gone.

"She's fine, for now. I don't think she's awake yet, actually. Momma must have hit her harder than I thought." Amelia seemed self satisfied, and Ruby fought the urge to break her face. At least until she got what she needed to know out of her.

"Amelia," Ruby took a deep breath and tried to still her swirling head. "Where are we?"

"Protected, don't worry. Daddy and Momma are dealing with the rest of your group right now." She looked so smug it made Ruby sick.

"What do you mean, 'dealing with'?" Ruby asked dangerously, and Amelia faltered a little under her harsh gaze. Ruby took a step toward her and Amelia backed up quickly.

"Jimmy is right outside that door. You touch me and he will be in here in a second."

"Fantastic." Ruby growled and dove for Amelia. She had to get out there, find Rick, Maggie, the others, make sure they were ok. It blinded her thinking, made her crazed with worry and fear for them. And it made her strong. The woman had a good two inches of height over her, but Ruby sent her tumbling back against the door with a loud thud. Amelia let out a grunt as she sank to the floor, struggling to get back on her feet with the long skirts she wore. Ruby went for her again, and had grabbed the bun of hair on the back of her head tightly, slamming her head into the wooden paneled wall next to the door. Amelia crumpled in a heap just as the door flew open.

Jimmy slammed the door behind him and blocked it tightly as he looked down at Amelia, motionless on the floor. He was armed, unlike Amelia had been, and Ruby backed up, her hand out toward him in warning, posture slightly crouched defensively.

"I have been waiting for somebody to do that for a while." He said, and his almost amused tone surprised Ruby.

"Don't come near me. Why are you people doing this?" She looked at him, her brow furrowing in worry and confusion.

"When Bob saw your guys out there the first day he thought he could bring them in, use them to make the camp stronger, find husbands for the women here. When you and your friends came too, it was a bonus for the group." He leaned against the door, and nudged his cousin on the floor with his toe. She didn't move, and he looked back up at Ruby sympathetically.

She stepped back again, her eyes wide and doubtful. "You're looking for... a wife?"

"That was their intention." He nodded.

She frowned, shaking her head. "Look, Jimmy, if you think Rick and the others are going to let this happen, you're wrong. You'd be well to open that door right now."

"We need to talk first." He said, stepping toward her. She backed up quickly, and he sighed, stopping. "I don't want what they wanted, not exactly. I'm not gonna hurt you. "

She widened her eyes. "You choked me out, dude. What the hell do you call that?"

He balked. "Margie was getting ready to brain you, girl. I wouldn't even have done _that_ if you'd have calmed down enough to realize I was trying to talk to you so she couldn't hear."

She frowned. "Talk to me?"

He nodded, frustrated. "I was trying to get you to fake passin' out, but you were hollerin' so loud I couldn't get you to understand. Not that I really blame you with what she did to Maggie, but you can't totally blame me here. I did the best I could."

"Why would you want me to fake it?" Ruby was utterly confused, and shifted her stance a little, trying to read his face better. He was tanned, his black hair almost blue in the dimness of the candlelit room. He was at least two years older than her, his large eyes and youthful face both frustrated and worried, and she couldn't grasp why.

"Because I like you. I know you only been here a couple days, but the way your group is, I never been around that. Not really. I kinda like it."

"So you're just turning your back on your family? Just like that, for people you don't even know?" Ruby looked at him like he was delusional. Who did that, even to such an insane group, when there was no one left out there?

"I gotta feelin. Now, you want my help, or should I walk away here?" Jimmy sighed, sticking his muscular arms down to his sides, his hands in his pockets.

Ruby stood to her full height, taking a step forward. Whatever happened, she needed to do what she could to get to the others. "Help us." She said, and he gave her an approving nod.

"Ok, listen. I don't know how this is going to go down here, so stay behind me, and if the time comes up, I'm gonna need you to play along, you got me?"

"Yeah." She said, taking a deep breath and nodding. He reached around behind his back and pulled out her gun, the one Daryl had given her after the river. Turning it around, he handed it to her, butt first.

"Don't go using that on me, huh?" He said jokingly. He was just as worried as she was about what was about to go down, and it showed on both their faces. "You ready?"

She nodded, and he opened the door quietly. Peering out in front of her, he whispered to her as they made their way down the dirt and wood walled corridor, but not before locking the door behind them, ensuring Amelia would not escape. "We're under the barn. These rooms been here longer than me."

"It's horrible." She grimaced, hunched down behind him. "Are the others down here?"

"Yeah, around the bend." He said. "Margie thinks you're the biggest threat, she wanted you apart. That's why she sent Amelia and me to watch you too."

They turned right at the end of the corridor, and he put a hand on her arm, pushing her back. Honesty stood in the hallway at the end, in front of doors much like the one Ruby had emerged from, and she knew Carol, Maggie, and Beth must be there. Taking his lead, she held back as he broke away and headed toward the woman, who looked up at him curiously.

"They causing you any trouble?" Ruby heard him ask from her place, pressing up against the wall tightly, gun in hand.

"Maggie woke up. She made a fuss at first, but now it's mostly just crying." Honesty answered and Ruby was stunned to hear the coldness in her voice. Christian, my ass.

"Huh." She heard Jimmy say, then a thud, a gasp, and a thump. Frowning, she peeked around the corned and saw Honesty on the ground, blood covering her front. Jimmy stood over her, a knife clutched in his hand.

He saw her approach, her gun slightly raised, and he frowned at her. "I caught her killing chickens not long ago, a hell of a lot worse than somebody needed to. She liked makin' things suffer, imagine what she'd do to your people."

Ruby understood, nodding, and her gun went back to her side. "Maggie? Carol?" She whispered loudly, and heard a thump behind one of the doors.

"Ruby? Oh thank god." She heard Carol near her and Jimmy got keys out of his pocket, unlocking the door quickly. The gray haired woman rushed out, straight into Ruby's arms. "Are you ok? Where did they take you? And what is he doing here?" The questions flew out of her mouth, and Ruby put a hand out to steady the woman.

"It's ok. He's helping us. He's not like the others." She said, hoping Jimmy wasn't going to prove her wrong. Carol looked at him reluctantly, but he just moved to another door and unlocked it, pulling it open. They rushed to the door, and saw Beth kneeling over a cot that held Maggie. Both had been crying, and they looked out into the dim hallway fearfully.

"Maggie, are you ok?" Ruby rushed in, but Carol held back, unable to allow Jimmy to have them all in a cell again. He just nodded peacefully toward her, and she crossed her arms over her chest.

Maggie looked at Ruby, relieved tears pouring over her cheeks. "What happened to you?"

"Margie happened." Ruby said flatly. "But Jimmy got me out of there, and we're going to find Glenn and Rick."

"Yes, please." Maggie breathed. They hugged tightly, and Ruby pulled Beth in too after a moment.

Ruby pulled back. "Can you walk? We need to get out of here."

"Yeah." Maggie nodded, but winced. Her forehead was smeared with a little blood, but it wasn't bad, and Ruby hoped she didn't have a concussion. They helped Maggie stand, and made their way back out into the hall on shaky legs. When they saw Jimmy, mistrust and fear shown on both their faces. He saw, but there was little he could do about it, Ruby thought.

"We're going as far as the barn, and I want you to stay there." Jimmy informed them before they left the corridor. Eyes were glued to Honesty's body, but they didn't have any love lost for the woman and paid attention to Jimmy. "I'll go out and see what's going on, bring your friends back to you. Then we can figure out a way off the farm."

"Thank you." Ruby breathed, helping Maggie lean against her for support. They moved quickly, keeping an eye out for any of Bob's group. Down two more corridors, up a flight of stairs, into the dusty, dim, streaming sunlight of the barn above. Hay muffled their steps on the ground, and the grunting and shifting of the horses inside his their whispers in case anyone was listening.

Jimmy helped get Maggie into a stall off to the side to wait. It was hidden enough to not be the first place someone looked if it was noticed they were gone. Suddenly, gunshots from somewhere on the farm sounded, and Ruby jumped visibly.

"What the hell?" She hissed, terrified it of what it could mean.

"I'll check it out." Jimmy said, and she shook her head.

"I'm going with you."

"Ruby, no!" Carol said, but she looked back at her and held up a hand. Carol knew she wasn't going to be able to keep the worried girl from heading out there as soon as she saw her face.

"If they see you, it's over." He knelt down by the door, looking down at her grimly. She returned it with a determined gaze, and when more gunshots sounded she nearly launched herself out of the barn. "Come on." Jimmy let out a low breath and she followed him out of the stall. He closed it behind them and rushed her over to the far wall, where he pulled a hooded sweatshirt off a hook and handed it to her.

"It's Mark's, he wears it when he's mucking out the stalls. Pull up the hood, and hope if somebody sees you with me they think it's him."

She pulled it on quickly, and they went to the front sliding door of the barn. The gunshots, many and rapid in succession, had faded into the bright daylight outside. Peering through the slats, she and Jimmy saw there was no one in sight. They slipped out of the barn and ran toward the main house, where the front door was hanging open, blood splashed across the white front door.

Ruby sucked in a breath when she saw that, her gun raised in the protective position Paul had taught her so long ago. They reached the front porch, and both silently slipped in. Bodies lay on the floor, but she was so relieved to see they were all of Bob's people, and none of hers. He leaned down over one guy, and kicked the gun away from his still hand before feeling for a pulse.

"It's Mark." He said, looking back at Ruby. "He wasn't like them, I don't know what happened."

"Don't move." She heard a voice behind her, and froze. Jimmy looked past her and his face grew concerned. Turning halfway, she caught sight of Glenn behind her and let out a relieved breath.

"God, Glenn. It's me." She shoved the hood away from her face, and his gun fell when he saw her.

"What happened to you guys? Where's Maggie?" He asked, rushing forward and hugging her.

"They're safe, hidden away. Jimmy saved us." She said, and Glenn looked past her doubtfully. When he saw Maggie, he'd believe it. "Where's everyone else?"

"Went looking for you after the blowout in here. I kept Carl and Hershel, but Rick, Paul and Daryl went after you."

"Where's Bob?" Jimmy asked, getting up from Mark's body and coming to stand behind Ruby.

"When he saw we were better shots than his guys he took off. I don't know where he went."

"And Margie?" Ruby asked, her anger taking back over.

"I never saw her."

Jimmy nodded. "He probably went after her. He'll die before he lets something happen to my Aunt. Listen, Glenn, take Hershel and Carl and go upstairs. First door on the right is a bedroom, but behind the clothes in the closet there's an attic. Worse comes to worse and Bob comes back he'll never know you're there. Go, and we'll come back for you."

They waited till Glenn, Hershel and Carl had disappeared up the stairs before Jimmy led Ruby back through the house and out a back door. Slipping around the house, they crept toward the women's house, and he pushed the back door there open quietly.

The house lay silent, and they crept through the first floor toward the front carefully. As they got close, a form lay motionless on the floor, and Jimmy went to it quickly. He pushed the shoulder, and when the body rolled over they saw it was Carlene. She'd tried to stop Carol and Beth, Ruby frowned at the memory.

A knife protruded from the woman's chest, and Jimmy pulled it free, inspecting it closely. "It's my Aunt's." He said, his voice confused, but a sound behind them made them both whip around.

"She questioned me, Jimmy." It was Margie, standing larger than life in the doorway to the kitchen. She looked crazed and calm all at the same time, and Ruby was torn between anger over what had happened and fear of the unstable woman.

"Aunt Margie, why don't you sit down?" Jimmy said, his eyes going to her hands, finding her unarmed. Blood coated her hands and sleeves, giving her a macabre look.

She let out a strangled chuckle. "You questioning me now, too, Jimmy?" Her eyes flicked to Ruby, and an eyebrow went up. "Ah, well. That explains it. The whore got to you, didn't she?"

Margie took an angry step toward Ruby, and Jimmy stepped in the way. The fury that came over her face was indescribable, and she rushed the young man. He raised his gun but Ruby was faster, and the gunshot ricocheted loudly in the painful silence. Margie crumpled to the ground, a bullet hole in her chest and blood slowly spreading everywhere, and Jimmy reached back and grabbed Ruby's hand.

"Run." He said, and they flew off toward the back hallway, and up a tiny staircase behind the rear bedroom. These houses, Ruby realized, where full of alternate ways to get around. Tiny, hidden spaces. If she hadn't had Jimmy here, she'd be lost. Where was Rick? And Paul, Daryl, were they ok? Had Bob gotten them already and now, having heard the gunshot just now, was he coming for them?

He shut them inside, and locked the door behind them before darting to the top and locking that one too. It was pitch black inside then, and Ruby froze, her forehead and hands against the wall, waiting. She felt Jimmy move back down beside her, and he put a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. She didn't want the touch, this was all too terrifying, but she didn't shake it off either. He was sacrificing himself to save her and the others, after all.

The front door slammed open, heavy footfalls pounded across the floor, and Ruby stopped breathing. Muffled voices, a heavy moan, and she knew it wasn't Rick, Paul or Daryl.

"It's Bob." Jimmy whispered in her ear. "Stay here."

She was terribly torn. She had to find out if her friends were safe, but walking out there in front of a manic Bob was a terrifying thought. There was no way of knowing who was there with him. "Don't go out there."

"He trusts me." He answered, and she knew he was right. He patted her shoulder again and she pressed against the wall as he slipped out of the stairwell. She heard the back door slam and footsteps pass her fast, and she knew what he was doing when she heard Jimmy shout.

"Uncle Bob!"

"They killed her, Jimmy!" She heard Bob's anguished voice clearly. "Find those sons of bitches, make them wish they were dead."

Was he alone? He obviously was still searching for someone, who was it? Her heart wanted to burst in her chest.

She heard the front door slam again, and a gunshot came immediately after. Jimmy must have shot Bob, it was all she could think of. Slipping out of the stairway, she moved around to the front of the house, and as she was stepping over Margie's fallen body, she heard a second gunshot. What? She got to the window, and let out a cry. Bob was lying still on the front porch, but down the stairs a little ways, Jimmy's body was on it's side, and Rick was standing over it, gun in hand.

"Oh my God." She gasped. Rick raised his gun to fire again and she screamed. "No! Rick, don't!"

Flying out the door, all their expressions were stunned not only to see her alive and well after so long, but that she went right to the young man's side.

"Jimmy! Come on, man, _Jimmy_!" She smacked his cheek sharply, shaking his shoulder and pulled back a hand covered in blood. Rick, for once in his life, had missed the chest, and the wound was over the young man's left shoulder. She looked up at Rick, who had gone pale watching her. "He saved our lives! Help me!"

"Where's Hershel?" Rick yelled, dropping to his knees across from Ruby, hovering over Jimmy's body. He moved her hands and applied pressure to the wound, pressing hard, and Jimmy didn't move. She felt her heart drop, and knew they needed to get Hershel there now.

"Paul, the main house. Up the stairs, first bedroom. In the closet is the door to the attic. Jimmy hid Hershel, Carl and Glenn there." She said quickly and Paul was gone before she finished. She looked back to Rick, who had frozen.

"He hid Carl?"

"He hid us all. The others are alive." She said softly, and he focused completely on Jimmy. He held the wound, tried to wake him up, and she felt bad for him. There was no way he could have known. Daryl swept up behind her after making sure Bob was dead, and he knelt down next to Ruby to help. His face was serious, his lips tight, but his eyes met hers and he nodded. He was happy to see her.

Hershel was back then, and he started ordering people around rapidly. Paul ran to the truck they rode in to get medicine, and Hershel showed Rick and Daryl how to carry Jimmy inside to the couch. Ruby stayed kneeling there for a moment, stunned and exhausted. It was over, but Jimmy was probably going to die, and for what?

She looked down at her hands, covered in his blood, and pulled the sweatshirt off over her head, hating the sticky feeling of it. Glenn and Carl were standing nearby, hesitant, and she took a deep breath.

"Come on." She said, getting to her feet. She used every last bit of energy she had to jog back to the barn, leading Glenn and Carl close behind her.


	27. Loose ends

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC characters, Ruby and Paul, however, and I adore them._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression._

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I was a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little. Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

_+++Janis- you got your wish, girly. Hope it turned out the way you hoped. ;)_

_Emberka and Kit- you guys both mentioned double tapping our dead here, and you are very right! To everyone who wonders, it is mentioned that Daryl is getting the dead out of the house. Like on the show, it is a typical practice for him to put the dead down with a knife or an arrow, so I hope that was clear. Being that it was mentioned a couple times, however, I did put a bit in this chapter about that. I do hope you feel it was handled properly. Our people are safe, though, so no worries. The dead (the ones in the houses at least) were put down if they weren't already shot in the head in the firefights. Uh oh, did I just tease you there? Oh yeah, I think I did..._

_And lastly, to Bnoell14- I am going to frame your messages. I really am. You are awesome, seriously! 3_

Opening the door and calling out, she rushed to the stall door and threw it open to reveal a very relieved looking Maggie, Carol, and Beth. Glenn rushed to Maggie's side, and Ruby stepped back, suddenly very out of breath. Carol, Beth and Carl joined her quickly, and Ruby looked at the woman wearily.

"Carol, Jimmy pulled it out. He did it." She said, pushing back tears.

"You found Daryl then? Rick? Everything's ok?" Carol asked, and Glenn spoke up from his spot next to Maggie as they walked out of the barn into the now quiet day.

"Rick didn't know. He shot Jimmy." Carol looked horrified. "Hershel's working on him now."

"Well, let's go help." Beth said, and Maggie nodded. She must have been feeling better, because they took off with Glenn to go help their father save the one person on the farm that had cared if they lived or died.

The activity then was insane, and Ruby felt herself go a little numb as she watched. She couldn't see Jimmy die like that, she just couldn't, not after what he did for them. She wandered into the house, and saw Rick come back out from the room they had taken Jimmy now that Beth and Maggie were there to help. Looking to the right, he saw Daryl put a brief hand on Carol's shoulder, pulling her into a very fast hug. She responded with a smile, and Glenn began to help him carry Margie's body out of the house. To drag Bob's along with it away from the house.

She felt Rick's arms around her before she looked back, and he lifted her off the ground. Burying her face in his neck, she held him just as tightly.

"I missed you." She said simply, and he almost laughed. When he'd seen her come flying out of that house ok everything he'd been feeling washed away, his anger, fear, hatred for these people that had done this. It was all just her. And Carl. And knowing Jimmy had done that for him, saved the people he loved and he'd shot the kid made him want to throw up.

"I am so damn sorry, Ruby." He said, his voice muffled in her cheek, eyes closed.

"You got no reason to be. None of us knew this was going to happen." She closed her eyes too, loving the feeling of his arms.

"Still... I can't take losing you again. I don't think I'll make it." he shook his head and pulled back, his hands finding the sides of her face as he pulled her into a kiss.

"Likewise." She said, and just then Hershel appeared at the doorway.

"Rick, I need your help."

Rick turned back to her. "Stay in here, I'll be back." He kissed her again and quickly went to help the older man. Just then, Daryl and Glenn came back in the front door.

"Rub, you want to come help me clear the house?" Daryl asked her softly, and she turned around, looking at him, confused.

"Clear?"

He sighed. "Yeah. Uh, we never found the kids they had here, but we haven't had much chance to search, ya know?"

"Oh my god." Ruby said, stunned, turning and heading up the stairs behind Daryl. Glenn set about taking the first floor, but she thought it was mostly just to be near Maggie when she emerged.

At the top of the stairs, Daryl started throwing doors open, his gun drawn, and Ruby followed his lead. Empty, empty, empty...she notched the rooms off in her mind one by one till they were at the opposite end of the hall. Daryl turned to head up the next staircase to the third floor, but he stopped suddenly, and she almost ran into his back.

She opened her mouth to ask him what was wrong, but she felt his arm circle her neck and pull her flat against him, cutting off her words.

"Rub, I know what you did. Got everybody to safety, put yourself out there." He mumbled, seemingly embarrassed but unable to help himself. "Thanks."

She hugged him back tightly, smiling against the scratchy material of his shirt, but her smile faded quickly. She hadn't saved Jimmy. "It's ok." She said simply, and felt him shake his head. He pulled back, putting his hand on the back of her head.

"It's not. We shoulda been there."

She put her hand on his arm gently. "No one knew they were gonna lose their minds like that. Over clothes of all things."

"What?" He dropped his hold on her and his eyes went wide.

"When we woke up this morning, Maggie and Beth had stayed in our room. Margie stole all their clothes while we were sleeping and burned them, said they were indecent. It's what set her off."

"You're fuckin' kiddin' me." He said through clenched teeth. _"Fuckin'_ clothes?"

Ruby shrugged. "Never know what's gonna set off a crazy person."

"Good lord..." Daryl sighed and leaned over, squeezing her neck again. "You did good, girl. You know that?"

She smiled sadly, tears threatening her eyes again. "Let's find those kids, huh?"

They searched the rest of the top floor, and, having not found anything but empty rooms, began to head back down.

"Maybe they're in another building." Daryl said, wondering if the insanity of Margie and Bob had reached the children. Were they going to find them dead somewhere in a crawlspace?

Ruby stopped suddenly when they reached the second floor. "If they _are_ in this house, I think I know where they might be." Remembering where Jimmy had stashed the two of them in the women's house, she wondered if the main house had a similar place. Moving quickly down the stairs and to the first floor, she and Daryl passed the others moving around in the living room and went to the kitchen. Rick followed them, curious, and tilted his head when he got to the kitchen and saw Daryl standing back, Ruby inspecting the back wall. Not finding what she was looking for apparently, she opened the pantry door and stepped inside. They got to the door, and saw her go to the back wall, looking over it carefully. She lifted a hand and pushed, and it shifted slightly under her touch.

"Ruby, come out here." Rick said quickly, and she did as he requested, but took up a place behind them as they got their weapons ready. Rick pushed on the back wall harder than Ruby had done and it opened out toward them. The gasps of children reached their ears, and they looked inside in wonder. It was another staircase, and four kids, including Rebeccah, were hiding inside. In the middle of them was one of the women Margie had working in the house. Ruth, maybe? Ruby couldn't remember, but she looked furious.

"What did you do?" Ruth demanded, taking a step forward. "Where's Margie?"

Rick didn't want to point his weapon at the kids, but the woman might be armed after the way the rest of her group had acted, he wouldn't put violence past her at all. He aimed at her, ushering the small group out, but when he saw she was not, in fact, carrying a weapon besides the lit candle she held, he dropped his gun.

"She's gone. They're all gone." Ruby said, suddenly very angry at the woman for being so pissed off. She wasn't the one imprisoned, almost killed, shot at, what the hell kind of nerve did she have?

"So," Ruth crossed her arms over her chest and the children huddled behind her fearfully, except a boy a year or so older than Carl. She'd seen him at dinner, and he must have been the woman's son because he looked at her like he was proud. She mimicked her stance and glared at them. "What are you plannin' on doing with us?"

"That depends on you." Rick bit toward her, wanting to get the scared children somewhere safe, fast. "What do you think should happen? After what Margie and Bob did?"

"They didn't do anything God didn't tell them to do!" The boy shouted behind her, pointing a thin finger at them, and Daryl rolled his eyes.

"Let us leave." Ruth said defiantly.

Rick stood back, holding out an invitational hand. "By all means, lady. Go."

"We need our stuff." The boy said to his mother, and she nodded, her eyes never leaving Rick's face.

"Get it. Take food, water, whatever you need. But don't ever come near us again." He said dangerously, and Daryl took it upon himself to escort the woman out of the kitchen. Rick and Ruby knelt down to the kids who were left, and Rick tried to smile.

"Hey guys." He said softly, and Carl came in just then. It was a good thing, too, because having another kid around could only help. The oldest was Rebeccah, even if she was slight. Easily 13 or 14, and terrified when she saw no sign of her mother or grandparents. The next was a boy, a year or so younger than Carl, in suspenders and dark clothes. His hair was neatly cut around his round face, and he had bright blue eyes. Last was a girl of about 5 or 6, also seen at dinner the night before. Her long blond hair hung down to her back in two braids, and her oversized dress hung off her little frame. Her heart shaped face was pale and scared, and Rick held out a hand to her. She went immediately to Rebeccah, though, and huddled behind her.

"Where's my family?" Rebeccah asked, and Ruby realized it was the first time she'd ever heard the girl speak. She'd obviously been taught to keep quiet, speak when spoken to, and she was very uncomfortable now.

"Your uncle was hurt, Hershel is trying to help him now." Rick said, calling Carol from the other room. "Carol is going to take you guys upstairs, stay there for a while, then we can talk, ok?"

Rebeccah nodded, and Carol ushered her and the two other kids away. Glenn and a newly emerged Maggie went to help her, and when they came back out of the kitchen, they found Hershel on the stairs.

"He's resting comfortably." Hershel said after the children were out of earshot. "Rick, I didn't realize it, but the bullet went right in and out of his shoulder, and it missed the larger blood vessels."

"He's alive?" Ruby asked, shocked. He'd been so pale, so still, and there had been so much blood.

"He is. He's a bleeder, I'll give him that, but a tough kid. Woke up when we were were working on him and didn't make a sound. I gave him some medicine for the pain, so if you want to see him I suggest you do it before he falls asleep." Hershel wiped his hands with a towel absently as he spoke, and Ruby looked hopefully up at Rick. The look of relief on Rick's face was priceless, and they hurried up the stairs to the room where Jimmy was being laid out.

Paul and Beth were talking quietly as she cleaned up the last of the mess, and Paul had a bright smile when he saw Ruby. He got to her a couple steps in, and wrapped her in a tight hug.

"Songbird, you really pulled it out today, you know that?" He said into her forehead. "I am _so_ proud of you."

"Thanks." She grinned as he broke away, and he and Beth left the room. She and Rick approached the bed, where Jimmy was laying, his face turned away from them and his eyes closed.

"Let's not wake him up." Rick said, and she could see how bad he felt looking at the kid laying there motionless.

Jimmy stirred, then, his head went to the other side, and his eyes opened. When they focused on Ruby, she smiled at him and went to the chair pulled close to the bed.

"Hey, glad to see you awake." She said softly, sitting down and pulling the chair closer.

He smiled back, shifting so his head was lifted a little. A long bandage had been wrapped around his left shoulder, and his arm lay still over his waist. "You and me both. I thought that was it."

"It wasn't that bad, Hershel said. In and out." She answered, looking at the bandage.

"I'm alive, that's enough." He chuckled, and looked over to Rick. "Didn't come to finish the job, did ya?" He said jokingly, and Rick chuckled.

"Not after we went and wasted medicine on you." Rick answered, and Ruby grinned at him before turning back to Jimmy. Rick came around behind her, putting a hand on her shoulder. "Ruby told us what you did."

"Yeah." Jimmy nodded a little, watching Rick carefully.

"I don't know how to thank you. Making sure my son, my family and my friends were safe, it's more than you know."

Jimmy shrugged, but winced a little. Ruby frowned, but he spoke quickly. "It was the right thing to do, that's the whole point, ain't it?"

"I guess so." Rick nodded, his voice soft. "I am damn sorry I shot you, kid. Damn sorry."

Jimmy shook his head. "You didn't know. I don't really blame you, man."

Rick pressed his lips together tightly, not really knowing what to say. He stuck his hand out, and Jimmy took it firmly. They shook, and Jimmy grinned again.

"Gonna watch you with firearms now, though. You know that."

Rick actually laughed then, loud and clear. "Yeah, don't blame you. But you got nothin' to worry about." He stepped back, looking down at Ruby. "We should let him get some sleep."

"Yeah, you go ahead. I'll be there in a sec." Ruby smiled at him, and Rick nodded, patted the foot of Jimmy's bed, and left the room. She watched him go, and when she looked back at Jimmy she found him regarding her curiously. "What?"

"Your group is close."

"Yeah. We're all we got, you know?" She tilted her head at him. "So, the right thing to do, huh?"

He grinned. "You don't think it was?"

She laughed lightly, shaking her head. "No, it's not that. It's just... the way the group was, Bob and Margie, it seemed like they'd convinced everybody what the 'right thing' was, what make you different?"

He thought about it for a second. "I was raised here, after my parents died when I was a kid. Bob and Margie were... well, they were all I knew, you know? Amelia was older, like a big sister, but we weren't close like you guys. It only took a minute, to see how you protected each other. They weren't like that."

"What do you mean?" She frowned. "They didn't protect you?"

He looked uncomfortable, his eyes going to the quilt. "No."

"I'm sorry."

He shook his head. "Doesn't matter now, does it? Does it make me a bad person to say I'm not sorry either?"

"No." She shook her head too. He really was a very sweet guy, he didn't deserve the things Bob and Margie must have put him through.

"So, is everybody..." He began, but trailed off. He was asking if everyone was dead.

She frowned deeply. "Mostly, I'm sorry. But we did find Rebeccah, and two little ones in the pantry stairway with Ruth and an older boy. She took off, took the boy with her."

"Benny." He let out a low breath. "It's good, let 'em go. But Rebeccah, she's ok?"

"Yeah. Carol took her and the two little ones upstairs to calm down for a while." She nodded, suddenly remembering something. "Oh my god."

He looked alarmed. "What?"

"Amelia! We left her in that place."

He huffed. "Good riddance."

"Yeah, well, I have to tell Rick. You gonna be ok here for a bit? I can come back after you get some sleep."

He looked pleased at that. "I'd like that."

She stood, and patted his hand gently. "Ok. Thanks, Jimmy. Really."

He grinned and settled back, watching her go. She slipped from the room, shut the door, and went back down to the living room to find the others.

Paul and Rick were standing at the front door, talking to Daryl, who looked like he had just come in. Maggie and Glenn must still be up with Carol and the kids, and Beth, Carl and Hershel were in the living room, sitting down wearily. It had been a tough day for everyone.

She got to the men at the door, and they looked down at her happily. "Are Ruth and Benny gone?" She asked Daryl.

"That their names? Here I was just callin' her Psycho Bitch." He said, and she tilted her head curiously at him. He explained quickly. "Got their shit, got 'em down to the road and gave her a gun so she at least had a chance to protect her boy and the stupid cow took a shot at me when they was runnin' away. You believe that?"

"She didn't hit you." Ruby said thankfully.

"She didn't hit anything. Bitch couldn't aim to save her life." Daryl said, and Ruby looked back to Hershel, Beth, and Carl.

"Hey Beth, heading back out. Can you listen for Jimmy or Carol to need anything?" She called out and the girl nodded. Looking back at the men, she frowned. "Gotta talk to you."

She led them outside, their expressions wary but curious. Going to the porch swing, she sat down and sighed, and they took spots around her. "What's wrong, Songbird?" Paul asked, anxious.

"Did they tell you what happened to us, other than what I said already?"

"No, we were too busy with Jimmy." Rick said, draping an arm over the back of her shoulders and pulling her close. She was obviously upset, and right well she should be.

"Well, like I told Daryl already, Margie was pissed about us not wanting to wear the clothes anymore. Paul, after you left the window last night Maggie and Beth stayed in our room, and when we got up this morning, their clothes had been stolen. Burned, Margie said. Gave us a whole talking to about how we were tempting the men and were indecent."

"Bullshit." Rick murmured, his hand rubbing his forehead wearily. That woman was insane.

"Maggie confronted her, and when we tried to get to you guys, Margie managed to knock us out. Locked us in their dungeon. That's all I can think to call it. Had Amelia and Jimmy watch us, and that's when he got us out."

"Dungeon? Where?" Paul asked and Daryl looked over at him.

"Under the barn." He remembered what Ruby had told him.

"Show us." Rick said, going to stand but Ruby put her hand on his arm, stopping him.

"I will, but wait. I just wanted to tell you, I managed to bean Amelia pretty good before Jimmy got in there, and he locked her in. She's still down there."

They looked surprised, but not stunned. Just angry. "Let's go kill the bitch." Daryl growled and Ruby frowned.

"What about Rebeccah? It is her daughter after all." Ruby said, not loving the idea of leaving Amelia alive either but how do they explain it.

"Did you talk to Jimmy about her?" Rick asked, and Ruby nodded.

"He said 'good riddance'. She's a threat, but we have to consider the girl."

Rick sat back down and put his hand over his mouth, thinking. "Ok, we'll figure it out. Why don't you tell us the rest."

Ruby took a breath. "Well," She began again. "He got me, then Maggie, Carol, and Beth, and when we heard your gunshots we hid them in the barn. Got to the main house, found Carl, Glenn, and Hershel, and Jimmy sent them to the attic. Didn't know where you guys were, so we went to the women's house and found Carlene's body with Margie. She'd stabbed her, said she'd 'questioned her'. Crazy woman, she attacked us when she realized Jimmy was protecting me, and I shot her."

"Good girl." Paul said appreciatively and she nodded.

"We knew if Bob was around he'd be back, so Jimmy stashed me in a hidden stairway in the kitchen and went out to meet him when we heard him come in the front door. Next thing I know, Bob's dead, and you... well, you know." She said to Rick, and he frowned. Yeah, he thought. He'd shot the one guy that had managed to save her life.

They sat there, the four of them, for a moment while her story soaked in. Finally, Rick let out a deep breath. "Well, we need to figure out what to do from here. About Amelia, the kids, all this." He looked around the farm, his face serious and drawn.

"What do you mean what to do?" Daryl frowned and they looked at him. "We know what to do, people. We were lookin' for a place to go before winter. We got a huge farm here, a fence, runnin' water and food."

"You want to stay?" Ruby asked, stunned. Of course he did, it was logical and he had a good point. But the thought of living in the same rooms as Bob and Margie made her nauseous. Still, she nodded. "No, it makes sense. We should stay."

"You'll be ok with that?" Paul asked her gently, and she nodded.

"We almost didn't get out. Imagine how hard it will be for walkers to get in."

Walkers. When she said the word, a shiver went through them all. They had, in a mere two days, forgotten about the dead people walking around out there. Ruby grimaced, wondering what the hell kind of world this was turning into when that was even possible.

She looked up, suddenly very serious. "Are any of them- Bob's people, did they turn?"

"Some got shot in the head to begin with. You did Margie, Jimmy did Bob. Daryl, you take care of the others when you and Glenn drug the bodies out?" Rick asked, and Daryl nodded.

"Used my knife, don't worry."

"Guess we would have noticed before now, huh?" Ruby chuckled sarcastically, shaking her head.

"Yeah. Well, I want to see this place they stuck you. You feel like showin' us?" Rick asked, and she nodded. Instructing Hershel to keep an eye on things, a moment later Ruby was leading them back across the yard to the barn. Walking in, she turned away from the pile of bodies Daryl had stacked in the corner. Bob's still face, covered in blood, faced her, and she felt a wave of nausea.

"We'll get rid a those." Daryl said behind her, and she nodded. Silently, she led them back and to the opening Jimmy had brought them out of, and when they stepped into the stairway to go down, she heard someone suck in a tentative breath behind her. She didn't blame them. With the dirt walls, the occasional slat of wood across them to hold the shape, and the pale yellow color of the bare bulbs strung along the top, it looked like a nightmare.

"The hell..." Daryl whispered as they got to the bottom floor, and they saw the doors along the corridor.

"Yeah, hell pretty much covers it." She said dryly, trying to remember which one Amelia was in. The one she had been held in. It was like a maze. Turning down one way, she froze when she spotted a large blood stain on the earthen floor at the end of the hall.

"What?" Rick whispered behind her, his voice close to her ear.

"I forgot. Jimmy killed Honesty, she'd been holding the others. She's gone."

"She's down here somewhere." Daryl said grimly, and guns were immediately pulled, and they were back on alert. Making their way back down the corridor, they began testing each door, finding them shut, unlocked and empty.

"This way." Ruby was now behind Paul, and pointed around him to another hallway. "I think that's it."

Doors were tested on the way down, slowly stepping toward the door at the end of the hallway. Paul took aim in front of her as they got close, and she did the same. She couldn't see Rick or Daryl behind her, but she was sure they were doing it, too.

"It's open." She said softly. Jimmy had locked the door, but it lay open an inch, darkness like ink beyond the dimly lit hallway. Rick grabbed her arm and pulled her back, and Daryl all but pinned her between him and the wall, his back to her and his crossbow ready.

Stepping forward, Paul and Rick were in defense mode when Paul pushed the door open and stepped back. The blackness inside was blinding, but a low growl sounded, and Amelia, or what used to be Amelia, launched herself out at Paul, and he fired a single shot, hitting her in the forehead and she fell in a pile in the doorway. A whine sounded behind her, and Honesty came next, her front stained with the blood from the knife wound. She stumbled over Amelia's body, and almost fell, and Rick shot her while she inched her way toward them, her hand outstretched. He hit her in the top of the head and her skull exploded on the halfway open door as she fell over Amelia and lay still.

Ruby's ears were ringing from the sound of the shots, and she allowed her breath to escape her body slowly. It really was over now. Daryl moved and she stepped away from the wall, her gun going into the band of her jeans, and her hands brushing her long hair back from her face. Carefully, Paul and Rick put the bodies back in the room and closed the door.

"Either she managed to get the door unlocked or the walker did. Either way, she was dead soon as the door opened." Paul said, brushing his hands off. He walked over to Ruby and slung a heavy arm over her shoulders. Looking down at her, attempting his usual cheerfulness, he grinned. "Let's get the hell out of here."

They walked back down the corridor, glad to be done with Amelia for good. The got to the stairway, and Ruby followed Rick up.

"You better watch the cursing, Paul. This _is_ a god fearing house, you know."

"Jesus..." Daryl muttered, amused.

"Exactly." She said innocently, and he laughed. It was a great sound to hear.


	28. Making it better

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC characters, Ruby and Paul, however, and I adore them._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression._

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I was a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little. Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

_+++So, the group has a new home now. The challenge here, besides the obvious of course, is to manage to turn the darkness and bad memories of the place around and make it a home. If that's even possible in this world. But I have faith, if anyone can, it's our heroes here that can do it. Don't you agree?_

_++++To my friend Noell- I know I promised you romance, and I didn't fib, I swear! This chapter was so long I had to split it up, so keeping reading. It's sooooo close now! LOL. And thanks, baby girl. You are amazing!_

They'd gotten back to the main house, the reality that the farm was not a protected little bubble was sinking in for Rick. They no longer had watches, so he took stock and asked Paul and Glenn to go to the front gate. Stay out of sight, he'd told them, and he would come relieve them in a few hours. When they disappeared over the hill, he turned and went into the main house.

"Rick," Beth said, coming to him in the front hall. "We need to try and find our stuff, if that's ok. I don't know what they did with it."

"Yeah, I'll go with you. Just give me a minute." He nodded, and she went back to the living room. He followed, and found Maggie with Carl, waiting for him.

"Daddy went back to check on Jimmy. What do you want to do with the kids? Carol got the little ones to talk, but Rebeccah is pretty out of it." Maggie said, stuffing her hands in her back pockets.

"I'll go see her. Maybe taking her to Jimmy will help, a familiar face and all." He bit the inside of his cheek as he thought out loud.

"Yeah, I think so too. I'll go check on him, why don't you bring her by?" Ruby said, and headed for the staircase. Rick watched her go, and wondered if he was going to tell Rebeccah what really happened to her mother. In the end, he figured he'd wing it, feel the girl out and see what the best thing to do was when the time comes. He told Beth he'd be back to take her to the other house, and headed on up to see Carol and the kids, Carl by his side.

"Hey. How you feeling?" Ruby asked when she peered around the partially open door, and saw Hershel checking Jimmy's bandage.

"Better. Where did you get all that medicine?" He grinned at her, looking over Hershel's shoulder.

"Found a pharmacy right before we got here that wasn't completely empty. It was lucky, huh?" She came in and took a seat on the other side, out of Hershel's way. Leaning back, she watched the older man work for a moment.

"Yeah. We never had anything like that. Bob said it would just lead to wantin' it, instead of needin' it."

"All depends on the person, young man." Hershel said softly, injecting a needle into his arm, and patting the site with a cotton ball. Jimmy winced, but settled back into the pillow after a moment, and looked back at Ruby.

"You went into town, or Rick and the guys did?"

"Me, Rick, and Paul, why?"

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Just not used to it, you know. The girls here never left the farm. Didn't carry guns, didn't kill anything but the chickens for dinner."

"Times are different now, I suppose. Ruby here is mighty good at protecting us, Maggie is great in retrieving things we need. And if I didn't have all of them I wouldn't be able to patch anybody up, I think we're lucky to have them all." Hershel said, and Ruby winked at him. He smiled, and stood back, looking down at Jimmy. "Take it easy, young man. Sleep when you can and you'll be up in a couple days. If you don't stress it."

"Yes, sir." Jimmy nodded, and Hershel went for the door.

"Thanks, Hershel." Ruby called out, and he waved as he vanished through the door, leaving it open a crack in case she needed anything.

"So, will you tell me about you guys now? Haven't had much chance so far." Jimmy sighed, obviously feeling the medicine, and settled further back in the pillows.

"What do you want to know?" Ruby asked.

"How'd you meet?"

She launched into the story, about how Paul had been with her since the beginning, but she'd lost him for a short time and Rick had found her, brought her back. How Paul had found them, the farmhouse they had stayed in, the road, the cave. She left out Lori and T-Dog, figuring it didn't much matter if Jimmy knew that stuff. Might confuse him.

"And Rick, what kind of guy is he?" Jimmy's eyes were drooping slightly, and he yawned.

"Brave. Strong. He cares about everybody, keeps us safe. He was a cop, before all this. Guess it's in his nature."

"A cop?" Jimmy asked interestedly. "That makes sense. He seemed... I don't know, like authority I guess." He paused, and raised an eyebrow at her. "You guys together, you and Rick?"

Ruby opened her mouth in surprise, but just then a knock came at the door. She could have kissed Rick when she saw his head come around the door, he had perfect timing.

"Brought someone to see you." He said, shooting a look at Ruby, but smiling at Jimmy. He came in, and Rebeccah trailed in behind him.

"Bec! Hey, girl." Jimmy said happily, and she went quickly to his side, kneeling at the bed.

"What happened?" She asked worriedly, looking at the bandages on his shoulder.

"An accident, but don't you worry. I'll be fine." He took her hand in his good one and squeezed it tightly. "I don't want you to be afraid of these people, you got me? Do what they say, they're good."

"But the others are gone. They won't tell me what happened." She said, tears in her eyes.

"It's something you and me need to talk about, not them." Jimmy frowned, looking into her face. "But I can tell you things are gonna be better now. We're safe, probably more than we were before. Understand?"

"You two want to talk? We can leave?" Ruby asked, standing, but Jimmy shook his head.

"No, I'm way too tired right now, and I need Bec to do something for me first." Rebeccah nodded, and he continued. "Keep up the chickens like you were. You're gonna have to show them where we keep the feed for the animals, and where everything is in the kitchen. Show them anything they need while I'm stuck here, you do that for me?"

"Sure, Jimmy." She nodded enthusiastically. She obviously lived for having a purpose. "When are you coming out?"

"Eh, few days at most. Gotta let this heal a little." He grinned. "Now go on. And come back and see me tonight, ok?"

She smiled, and got up, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "Bye Jimmy." She said, and Rick led her back to the door. She followed him out, throwing Jimmy a tentative glance as she left.

"You should get some sleep." Ruby said, still standing, and Jimmy waved his hand at her.

"I'm stuck here for a while, I'd much rather have somebody to talk to. If you don't mind, that is."

She bit her lip, but sat back down. Please, don't let him ask about Rick again, she thought. She didn't want to go into all that with this guy, this stranger, even if he had thrown himself on a bomb for them. He seemed to understand that, or he was just really loopy, either way, he changed subjects.

"Beth said Hershel was a vet. I'd have bet anything he was a regular doctor, the way he acted."

"He's had to do it a lot, I'm afraid." She grinned. "Probably better than any person doctor we could have found."

He nodded, yawning again. "Tell me how you learned to fight."

She shrugged. "Didn't do it before, I'll tell you that. Paul was a marine, taught me almost everything I know. And of course, being with Rick and Daryl, you pick up some things."

He kept asking her things, and she kept telling him. What she liked to do before all this happened. Food. Where she came from. Little things that didn't make any difference anymore, but that lent a human aspect the the crap world they lived in, the things they saw and experienced. She stayed there until his eyes closed and he went into a deep sleep.

When Ruby got back downstairs, everyone was in the living room, and she slipped in to hear what Rick was saying to them.

"I think we should stay. What better place are we going to find?" Glenn said, and Ruby knew Rick must have broached the topic with them. She noticed Carol was gone, and assumed she was with the children while the adults spoke.

"We'll adjust things, make it better for us. But it's the best way." Rick nodded. "We've seen the workings, we have everything we need. The crops, the animals, and try finding another place with generators so we have electricity. It just isn't gonna happen."

"We have enough gas for that?" Ruby asked. "That's what they run on, isn't it? Gas?"

Rick nodded. "And you aren't going to believe it, they have a tank still half full. It'll give us plenty of time to salvage some from the highway. Won't last forever, but it's plenty good enough now."

"I didn't think we'd ever have a fridge again." Beth grinned. "I think we're lucky."

They all smiled at her. She was right. Hot water, a working kitchen, it was a miracle that they hadn't truly had the chance to appreciate yet with everything going on.

"We'll shut down anything we don't have to use. Move all into one house, close up the rest. You thought about where you want to stay?" Rick asked the group.

"We haven't seen the men's house yet. I'd like to." Ruby said, not really wanting to stay in the main house where Bob and Margie had lived, and the women's house held just as bad memories."

"I'll show it to you. Why don't you guys go get cleaned up, relax a bit. You earned it. Beth, you want to come with us and you and Ruby can see if any of your stuff is still around?" Rick asked, and Beth nodded. The three of them excused themselves, and began to walk across the yard to the house Rick and the guys had used the night before.

Getting inside, Ruby saw it looked much like the women's house, except the kitchen was not well equipped at all. A single stove, fridge, not even a table. The guys must have eaten all their meals in one of the other houses. If they very much wanted to stay there, it would work, but it wouldn't be as comfortable. Going upstairs, it was confirmed. The bedrooms were larger, but only because they housed three beds instead of one or two, and there were only four of them.

"Well, this isn't going to work. But you already knew that, didn't you?" She said teasingly to Rick, and he shrugged sheepishly.

"Wanted to give you the option."

"I appreciate it."

They helped Rick gather the guys stuff, and carry it out to the yard. They put it in a pile near the front porch, and headed back in to see if there was anything else they needed. Clothes from closets were gotten, anything to help flesh out what they already had, and a few blankets. They put the little bit of food stored in the kitchen into bags and carried it back to the main house. The whole thing took just over an hour, and dusk was starting to set in as they finally headed over to the women's house.

The first thing they did was go check the two rooms they had been given to see if anything remained, and they were pleased to find that Margie's crew must not have had the time to dispose of anything else, because their bags were left where they had been dropped. Gathering everything quickly, they left them at the stairs. After all, the house they would choose had not been decided yet. Instead, they began to take stock of the rooms, to see how everything would fit for the group.

The houses were plain, and very similar to the main house in that there was no real decoration outside of the crosses on the walls. Some religious paintings hung on the walls, pictures of Mary, Jesus, or sunsets were the only thing to be mentioned here. It was all ugly, but really only because of what it represented to them.

"A smaller house means less fuel." Rick remarked as they were checking bedrooms together, and Beth and Ruby nodded.

"Yes, but we can use the fireplaces for heat. Might help." Ruby reasoned.

"In that case, we should use the main house. There are fireplaces in almost every room. And... the bathrooms are bigger. Beds too." Beth said.

"So, we use the main house then?" Rick asked.

They thought for a minute, and Ruby nodded. "Yeah, let's do it. But the crosses come down, ok?"

Rick chuckled. "Whatever you want."

They did the same thing here that they had done in the other house, but this one was going to take a while. The kitchen was much more extensive, and Rick told them that they would come back for all the food and the wood for the fireplaces. In the end, they lugged over several trips worth of usable things, not even including their own personal effects, and Ruby was near to exhaustion when they were done.

"Ruby, go get some rest. I'll help you carry your stuff up, let's find a bedroom you like." Rick said when they got everything back to the main house, and she smiled gratefully at him.

"A bedroom, huh? Do, uh... do we need to find one that will fit more than one person?" She said sneakily as they headed up the stairs, and he raised an eyebrow at her, his eyes darkening in the dim light.

"Most definitely." He said low, and she laughed delightedly.

Skipping the second floor altogether, they started on the third floor. There were three bedroom up there, and they checked them all. They were similar, wooden plank floors, full size beds in the first two, the same sparing decoration, but the third had a queen size bed, and a bathroom attached.

"Oh, this is the one." Ruby said when she walked in, and went straight to the bathroom. The tub had claw feet, and she was surprised to see it was equipped with a shower head too. She hadn't expected that, everything was so old fashioned. Rick walked in behind her, and stood in the doorway watching her.

"What?" She asked with a smile, looking at him in the mirror.

He came up behind her, his arms snaking around her waist and his face buried in her neck. "I told you I would find a safe place for you. Someplace you would like."

She turned around, and wrapped her arms around his neck. "I do like it. I know things started out bad, but it's turned around now, isn't it?"

"Absolutely. We're going to make it ours. All of ours. And you're gonna be happy."

She smiled, her lips brushing his. "I already am."

He kissed her hard, his hands massaging her waist and finding their way into her hair. Pressing her back against the sink, he felt like stone against her sore, tired body, and it was immensely comforting. If you had asked her several hours ago if she thought this would be happening now, she'd have told anyone they were insane. How exhausting it was to go from thinking you were going to die to being in the arms of the man you loved with all your heart.

She broke the kiss reluctantly, but smiled against his mouth. "Babe, it occurs to me that I need a shower badly, and that I think you're too polite to tell me that I need to brush my teeth."

"I don't know what you're talking about. You look beautiful." He murmured, his eyes closed and his nose nuzzling her face.

"Mmm. Always the gentleman. And I intend to pay you back, in spades, when we're done and alone tonight. But not right now when someone will inevitably be searching for us any minute."

"Promise?" He asked, opening his eyes to stare into hers.

"On my heart."

He reached up and cupped her breast, over her heart. "Care to test that out."

She laughed then, pushing his chest. "You are persistent, aren't you?"

"You have no idea." He said flatly, but allowed her to push him back. Smirking at her, he raised an eyebrow. "Fine. But the longer you wait, the harder it's gonna be on you."

"Oh, kinky!" She said with fake innocence, and he laughed. They kissed one more time before he helped her carry her things in the room, and when he left to go check on the others, she shut herself into the bathroom.

While Ruby showered, Rick went down to the first floor. Daryl was carrying their finds into the house, putting them in the living room for the others to go through, and Rick left him to it when he heard dishes clanking in the kitchen.

"Hey Carol." He said, pleased to find her there with the children. The little ones were at the long table coloring on blank sheets of paper with worn crayons, Carl watching over them peacefully, and Carol and Rebeccah were preparing dinner.

"Thought we'd go ahead and get this done. I think everyone must be starving by now." Carol smiled at him, and Rick realized she was right. His stomach hurt from the adrenaline of the day and his newly discovered hunger. He hadn't even thought about it, but that wasn't surprising.

"Thanks." He said, looking over at Rebeccah. "And thank you, Rebeccah. I know it's been a long day, confusing."

The girl looked up at him from the pot she stirred, and nodded faintly. "It has."

"How are you?" He asked.

She bit the inside of her cheek, keeping her eyes down. "I'm ok."

"Is there anything you need? We're moving everyone over to this house to stay together. You can be close to Jimmy."

"The same house?" She looked up at him, startled.

"It's safer. Is that ok?"

"Um... I guess. If Jimmy says it's ok."

"He does. I want you to be comfortable, Rebeccah. Please don't be afraid of us. Everything's going to be alright." Rick leaned against the counter, crossing his arms over his chest. "If you need anything, I don't want you to hesitate to tell someone."

"All my belongings are already here. I shared a bedroom with Honesty." She said timidly, and he nodded.

"You can have your own room now, if you like." She looked a little startled again, and he thought quickly. "Unless you'd rather share with someone."

"No, I'll be ok." She shook her head, and he smiled.

"Alright. Whatever you like." He walked around the counter to Carol, and leaned over to smell what she was preparing. "Smells good."

"Beef stew. I found the meat in the fridge." She said happily, and he felt his stomach rumble.

"Great. Hey, you find any tea or anything? Ruby hasn't had anything in a long time."

"There's tea in this cupboard." Rebeccah spoke up, and he grinned. She smiled back a little, and went to a cabinet across from him. Pulling out a box, she went to a teapot on the stove and began filling it with water. "I can make a lot, in case anyone else wants some too. If you like."

"That would be wonderful, thank you Rebeccah." He nodded, and started to look for cups to put it in.

"You can call me Becca, if you want. Everyone does. I mean, they used to." She said shyly, turning on the stovetop under the pot, her eyes still downcast.

"Becca." He nodded, watching her.

"Rick, we'll take it to Ruby. Go on, do what you need to do." Carol said. The conversation between the two of them had made her smile widely. The fact that, after such a violent day, they found themselves in such a safe and comfortable place together, in fact, made her smile. She hadn't felt this good in a long time. He thanked her, and left the room to find Carl.

Ruby was getting out of the shower when the knock came at her door. She'd stayed under the scalding hot water for a long time, scrubbed until her skin was bright red, and she felt wonderful.

"Come in!" She called out, brushing her hair in the bathroom mirror. It couldn't have been Rick. He just walked in, he didn't bother knocking.

Carol came in, toting a cup, and Ruby grinned. "Rick wanted you to have some tea. I put extra sugar in it." Carol said excitedly, and Ruby looked at her with wide eyes.

"Sugar?" She asked, and Carol laughed. "Oh my god, give that to me!" She took a sip, and rolled her eyes back happily. "I don't think anything has ever tasted as good as this does."

Carol nodded. "I know, right? When you're done, Becca helped me make dinner. You feel like eating?"

"I'm starving. But what about Jimmy? He can't come down yet, can he? Or Paul. He's out at the gate with Glenn still."

"Hershel said Jimmy could get up. He and Maggie are helping him now, and Daryl ran something out to the gate. I think Rick said he was going to relieve them after dinner."

"Ok, then. Let me get dressed and be right down." Ruby nodded. Jimmy was getting up and about, that could only be good. After Carol left, she dressed in a clean pair of jeans- her last. She was going to have to do laundry soon. Also her last fairly clean shirt, a blue tank top with a eagle stretched across the chest, and a high ponytail, and she tapped lightly down the stairs to join the others for dinner.

Everyone looked relaxed and happy around the table, and Ruby quickly took the empty seat next to Rick. The beef stew Carol made was delicious, and they all dug in fast and hard. Jimmy looked well, smiling there across from her with Rebeccah at his side, and the girl looked well more at ease having him there. From the conversation, she gathered that the two young children they had found were named Jeb and Sally, and they sat with Carl, taking small bites and looking around the table interestedly. Ruby wondered absently who their parents had been, and wished she had paid more attention that first night at dinner.

After everyone had eaten, Daryl volunteered to go switch watch posts with Paul and Glenn, and everyone else walked slowly out to the front yard. The sun had set long ago, and the sky was bright and alive with twinkling stars, the yard sang with the crickets hidden in the grass. Rick set about building a small pit fire, and they took places around it, sitting back and looking up at the stars and chatting quietly. They were all tired, but so grateful to all be there, they didn't want to go in just yet.

"Jimmy," Rick was saying, and Ruby brought her attention back to the group. "You're gonna have to let us in on your schedules here. The animals and so on."

"Yeah, no problem." Jimmy nodded, sitting across the fire from her and Rick, Becca at his side. "The horses are going to need to be fed before bed, but that doesn't take long. The cows can be taken care of tomorrow, and the chickens already got done this morning." He went on for a moment about similar things, and Ruby yawned, leaning against Rick's side to listen. Paul and Glenn came back then, and Maggie got up, slipping around the fire. She and Glenn disappeared a moment later, and she grinned. She was shocked they had waited this long. Paul took a place between her and Beth, and they chatted quietly to each other.

"Hey, you guys been lookin' around, you made it to the barn loft yet?" Jimmy asked, and Ruby shook her head. The bodies were in there, so no, no one had gone to look further.

"No, why?" She asked.

"When we would get new people in, or find things in town or whatever, the stuff they didn't want to use got stored. It's mostly clothes, stuff like that, but I know there's other stuff too you guys might want. Stuff they thought was... well, not for us." He said, and Becca looked at him, stunned.

"Jimmy, we aren't supposed to use that stuff." She whispered, and he looked down at her patiently.

"Becca, it's a whole new world now. We're on our own, we can do what we want now. Ain't you even a little curious about what's up there?"

She thought about it, and blushed a little. "A little."

He laughed lightly. "You find anything up there you want, you take it, girl. Live a little."

Rick looked at Ruby, amused. These poor kids must have been so sheltered from anything normal, this must be so scary for Becca. Jimmy, on the other hand, seemed to be slightly bitter about how he was raised. He was looking for any excuse to break out of the mold. She grinned back at him, the same thought going through her mind.

They sat and talked for a little while, but eventually, Ruby's exhaustion took the better of her. When she stood to go back in, the others obviously thought it was a good idea because they all started to do the same.

"I'll be in in a second. I want to check with Daryl. Make sure everything is locked up." He said softly.

"Ok. Hurry back." She winked at him and he felt a pang of desire shoot through his body like an electric shock.

Shaking his head, he whispered, "Girl..." She laughed, and he began the quick walk to the front gate. Ruby watched him go, and felt Jimmy come up beside her as the other drifted back in the house.

"Walk you in." He said and she grinned.

"Night Paul. Beth." She called out. The two of them clearly wanted to be alone, because they were looking impatiently at the others leaving.

Ruby yawned again as they walked. "I am gonna sleep for _days_." She said, stretching her neck.

"It's tempting, isn't it?"

"You have no idea. We've not been in a place where we could do that since the farmhouse we were in ages ago. Well, feels like ages. I'm just so glad to be off the road."

The night air had turned colder, and she shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. "Cold?" Jimmy asked, holding the front screen door open for her with his good hand.

"Nah. It's getting to be winter here soon, though. We have wood for burning?"

"Oh yeah," He said, walking with her to the kitchen. "Good amount, stacked behind all the houses."

"Awesome." She said, getting glasses and filling them with water from the tap. She handed one to him, and he took a drink. "Well, I'm done. Get some sleep, Jimmy."

"Ok. See you in the morning." He said, and tipped his head to her as she left the kitchen. She said goodnight to people as she made her way up the stairs. Shutting herself in her room, she quickly changed into a long teeshirt she found in the bureau and went to the bathroom. Clicking off the light, she crawled into bed, fully intending to wait for Rick to come in, but when he arrived twenty minutes later, he found her sleeping deeply. He stripped his sweaty shirt off and went to the bathroom, turning the shower on hot. The chill of the night had made him shiver, combined with the adrenaline that had been coursing through his body the whole day, and he stayed in much longer than he had to. It felt amazing, and when he was done, he felt sleepier than he could remember ever having been. Still, when he crawled into bed next to Ruby, he laid there staring at her sleeping face for a long time. Before he knew it, sunlight was streaming in the window.


	29. Heart to heart

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC characters, Ruby and Paul, however, and I adore them._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression._

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I was a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little. Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

_+++So, the group has a new home now. The challenge here, besides the obvious of course, is to manage to turn the darkness and bad memories of the place around and make it a home. If that's even possible in this world. But I have faith, if anyone can, it's our heroes here that can do it. Don't you agree?_

– _Now, cue the lovin! lol_

When Ruby woke up the next morning, she laid there in bed for a few minutes, listening to Rick's deep breathing and snuggling into his side. He was bare chested, and smelled like fresh air and sandalwood, and she wondered what he had used to shower with the night before. Whatever it was, it sent a tingle from her top to her toes, and she wanted to do nothing more at that moment than wake him up and keep him in her bed for the next six months straight. Finding him there next to her gave her the best feeling in the universe, and she didn't want to let it go just yet. Eventually, however, her bladder would not be denied, and she slipped into the bathroom. She brushed her teeth, put her hair in a messy bun on her head, and clicked the light off. Rick must have been absolutely exhausted, because he didn't budge as she moved around the room.

The sound of water picking up outside sent her to the window, and she saw it had started storming sometime in the night. Rain fell in sheets against the glass, the sky a beautiful dark purple color pocketed with black around deep storm clouds. Timing was perfect. If they had been on the road, this definitely would have held them back. She smiled to herself at the normality of it all. Turning around, a slip of paper on the floor next to the door caught her eye, and she went over to it, picking it up.

_"Ruby, we took some of your clothes yesterday, figured you didn't have much. Hope this helps. -Beth"_

Confused, Ruby opened the door and found a small stack of garments on the other side of the door. "When did you have time to do that?" She murmured, picking them up and taking them back to the bathroom. Carol had the shirt she'd borrowed yesterday for Maggie, along with some things she didn't recognize. A long sleeved black shirt caught her eye, and she quickly stripped out of her sleeping clothes and pulled it on. A pair of her jeans were there also, and they had just been washed. God, I love that girl, she thought as she pulled them on, sighing happily.

"You look amazing." Rick's voice came from the door, making her jump a little. He smiled and came up, wrapping his arms around her. "Didn't mean to scare you."

"It's ok." She said, kissing him deeply. "How did you sleep?"

"Very hard. It was so good, really. You should be happy you were asleep when I came in last night." He said, tracing her side with his finger, trailing it up under her breast.

"Why's that?" She grinned, looking up at him.

"Because if you weren't, neither of us would have slept at all." His voice was low, almost dangerous, and spoke volumes of his need. The feelings she had earlier returned with full force, taking her breath away. In a fluid motion, his hands went to the space where her shirt didn't reach her jeans, his fingers rough against her skin as they came up, taking the garment with them. A second later, it was on the floor, and her jeans were joining them. She didn't care that she had gotten dressed less than thirty seconds ago or that there was a whole house moving around them, when she felt the hardness of him against her lower stomach she almost melted away right there. He picked her up, her legs wrapping around his waist, and he sat her right there on the sink edge, his body pressing her into the cold marble.

She gasped when his hand went down her stomach to her thighs, then between them. Pushing the thin fabric of her underwear to the side, he ran a finger across her most sensitive parts while his tongue pushed into her mouth in a rapid tattoo of movement. Her whole body was alive then, hands twisted and caught in his curly dark hair, scratching the smooth skin of his shoulders and back. Thrusting his finger forward, she cried out at the feeling, and felt his breath catch in his throat. She was so wet, so ready for him, so when he began to use two fingers a moment later, she very nearly came right then. No, she scolded herself, not yet, she wanted him inside her so badly it hurt.

He moved his mouth down to her chest, sucking and licking her firmly, sending shock waves through her body while his fingers worked the most wonderful magic.

"Not yet," He whispered, feeling her body tighten around his hand. Pulling his hand back and grinning when she gave a disappointed hiss, he pinched her ass, then rubbed the tingle away with his palm. Her hands had moved to the pants he wore, and tugged the zipper down between them. Slipping her thumbs into the band, she pushed and he kicked them off. Her small, cool hand found him then, circling his thick, hard length and she began to stroke him, slow at first, then quicker. When her thumb flicked across the tip, he physically jolted and pulled back, all sense lost. He turned her around in a flash, grabbing her hair and pulling her head back gently. With the other hand holding her hip hard, he plunged himself into her in one movement and she cried out. He couldn't stop like he normally would, let her adjust to him, his brain had long ago shorted out. Instead, he thrust blindly, listening to her moan and feeling her burn like fire around him. A bright flash of color behind his eyelids and he was coming, his own moans joining hers in a crescendo of sound and feeling, touch and wetness.

"God, Rick!" She gasped as she came as well, bucking her hips back against him to take him in further, and he had the presence of mind to find her nub with his fingers as he continued to thrust against her back. A high pitched ahh from her as he rubbed, and the orgasm she'd kicked into went up several notches, not stopping. She pushed back harder, convulsing around him until he thought he would either come again or die from the sheer bliss of the feeling. Slowly, she stilled, and he relaxed against her back, his breath coming in gasps and pants that matched hers. He'd have stayed there forever, if he didn't feel like his legs were going to collapse under him.

He pulled away gently, and she turned, visibly trembling, but smiling at him. Pulling her into a tight embrace, he rubbed her face and hair with his fingers, sighing deeply.

"You are amazing." He said softly, and she scratched his back lightly with her nails.

"You're more amazing. That was... oh my god." She chuckled softly against his chest. A sound from outside the room caught their attention, and he laughed nervously.

"You think we made too much noise?"

"Mmm, I don't care." She grinned, and pulled back. She grabbed her clothes from the floor and began to pull the shirt back on. "But, we better get back out there. Still have a lot to do, don't we?"

"Fine, but I get this again tonight. With a quick run through about noon if we get the chance." He said, walking back out into the bedroom to get dressed and she laughed.

The house was alive with activity when Rick and Ruby got to the living room. Most everyone were either there or in the kitchen, and Carol was busy feeding everyone. Ruby went to the coffee pot and poured herself and Rick cups. Oh, caffeine... how I have missed you, she thought as she took a sip. He grinned at her when she brought his to him at the table, and they joined the conversation already going.

"Maggie and Glenn are keeping watch, Rick. Went out when Paul came in this morning, he's getting some sleep now." Carol said, bringing a plate of eggs to the table and taking a seat. Becca was, typically, next to Jimmy, who had reappeared from his room, and the kids chatted quietly with Carl, Sally taking tiny bites of a biscuit and listening to the older boys talk. Ruby dipped herself out some eggs and began to eat. She hadn't realized how hungry she was till just then. Of course, she _had_ been busy, so...

"How you feelin', Jimmy?" Rick asked through a mouthful of food.

"Better, thanks to Hershel. Man's a miracle worker." Jimmy nodded toward the old man, who just shook his head shyly.

"No, you're the one who'd pulling through young man. He hasn't complained once."

"What do I have to complain about? I'm still here." Jimmy grinned, and Becca smiled back at him. "You guys got any questions about the farm, yet? You had much of a chance to look around?"

"Got most of it down on the first day, but I do want to take a look at the water systems again, maybe go through the crops, get a game plan down." Rick said.

Jimmy nodded enthusiastically. "Oh yeah. I can show you all that right after breakfast if you want. Got a good system, too. Been there longer than I been here, always worked right. The fuel tank was replaced a couple years back, we're gonna need more gas in a month or so, wanted to make sure you knew about that."

"We can go to the highway, see if the cars there have anything." Ruby suggested.

"I can do you one better. All the farms around here had tanks, we've just been draining them one by one. I know of at least four more we ain't even touched yet."

"Well, that's a relief." Hershel said, surprised. "You didn't have a big run through here?"

Jimmy shrugged. "It's a pretty tight place, so when people started getting sick it kind of happened all at once. Didn't give folks a chance to use much before they passed on. And the people on the highway passing through didn't know they were there, so they weren't touched."

"How do you carry that much gas, get it back here?" Rick asked.

"Got a truck. Usually only takes two trips to drain one of them. Three if it's big like ours or the Martin's farm down the road." Jimmy explained.

"I can't tell you how nice it is to cook on a stove again. I think I'm going to be baking for days, I can't stop." Carol said with a wide smile, and they looked up to see Daryl come in the back door, and go to the coffee pot. Ruby grinned at him and he nodded to her over his coffee cup.

She got up, letting the others talk, and began to scrape her plate off and get it into the sink.

"Jimmy boy get the all clear?" Daryl asked, leaning against the counter next to her.

"I guess. He's gonna go show Rick some stuff around the farm today." She said, getting more coffee. "Man, I didn't realize I missed coffee this much."

"Yeah." He grunted. "Slept late today, didn't ya? Hope you're not gonna go and get lazy on me now."

She grinned, elbowing him in the arm. "We worked for it. You could have slept too, but it doesn't look like you did much."

He shrugged. "Don't need much sleep. Got the animals fed, figured they didn't get much yesterday."

"Aw, you an animal lover, Daryl? I usually just see you aiming your crossbow at them."

"Well, yeah. You wanna eat don't ya?" He raised an eyebrow but chuckled. Rick and the others started to get up, and she looked back at Daryl.

"You wanna walk around with them? Is it still raining?"

"Slowed down. Get a jacket though. It's getting' cold."

"Ok, mom." She grinned. "I don't have one."

He gave a dramatic roll of his eyes but went to the back door and grabbed a heavy sweater with a hood off a hook behind a cabinet. "Gotta do everything around here." He said low, handing it to her. She grinned and pulled it on, and when she put the hood up he pulled it down over her face. She cackled loudly, swatting his hand away.

"You two havin' fun over here?" Rick came up behind her.

"He tried to smother me." Ruby grinned, elbowing Daryl again and he grabbed her arm. Playful wasn't the word for Daryl, but he was obviously in a good mood, and Ruby like to see it. Carol caught her eye, smiling down at the sink of dishes as Becca helped her clear up. Daryl's mood clearly wasn't lost on her either.

"Let's go then, people." Daryl said, and Jimmy fell into step behind Ruby as they walked out the back door.

They started with the garden, and Jimmy started running through how they had the irrigation set up. This was more of a chance to stretch her legs and spend time with Rick than anything, and Ruby only half listened. The rain had, indeed, slowed to a soft drizzle, and when they were finished with the garden, it had stopped altogether.

They got to the animals, and Jimmy was talking about feed or something when Paul came out of the main house. Seeing them, he jogged over, and threw a arm over Ruby's shoulders.

"You sleep?" She asked.

"I did. Did you?"

"Oh yeah." She looked up at the cloudy sky, colored gray and pale blue. "The rain helped I think. It was a nice storm, wasn't it?"

"The thunder woke me up once. It was great." They both loved thunderstorms. Wherever they used to be, whenever it stormed they would get together in the hotel and watch it. Ruby missed those days.

The small group started to move on, and she called over to Rick. "Hey, you guys go ahead. I want to take a look at the stuff you said was stored in the barn."

"You sure? We haven't gotten a chance to take care of the bodies yet." Paul said, and she nodded.

"Nothing I haven't been around before."

"Ok, I'll come with you then." Paul nodded, and Rick winked at her as he, Jimmy, and Daryl went on about their business.

"I wonder if Margie really burned Maggie and Beth's stuff, or threw it in here." Ruby said as they got into the barn, and climbed the side staircase to the loft above. "Holy shit." She breathed when they got to the top. Jimmy wasn't kidding. Margie and Bob must have been raiding and looting everything and everyone they could, the loft was full to bursting with bags and trunks, boxes and toys.

"Why would they put all this up here?" Paul asked, wandering over to a box and poking through it. Ruby went to a bag and unzipped it. A red piece of fabric caught her eye and she pulled out a tiny red camisole edged in lace.

Holding it up, she grinned. "This may be why. Indecent, huh?" She joked, and Paul blushed.

"I'll take that, if you don't want it."

She looked at him with wide, laughter filled eyes. "I don't think it'll fit you, dude."

He looked dramatically innocent. "I don't mean for _me_."

She burst out laughing. "Oh my god, I love you and Beth, but I do NOT need to know about your sexy time."

He chuckled, going to another box and looking through it. "Good, because I wasn't planning on telling you anything."

She grinned, sitting the cami aside. She was absolutely going to give it to Beth now. Getting a fresh duffle bag, she started to fill it with clothes she liked, or thought the others would like. "So, honestly, how's that going? You two, I mean."

"She's a pretty amazing girl." He said vaguely, but the smile on his face spoke much more.

"I know that, silly. I'm just saying, you two getting serious? I mean, how much talking you two gonna do?" She was teasing now, he knew, and he looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"Hey, you don't see us all the time. And we don't march it up and down the halls like you and Rick. Believe it or not, we do have ears, you know."

She froze, looking over at him with wide eyes, and a blush crept up her neck and settled firmly over her cheeks. "Ears? You... oh my god."

He laughed. "Oh, don't worry. I was the only one upstairs this morning, they were all in the living room or the kitchen. But you might want to watch that in the future. I know I wouldn't want to explain that to Carl."

She groaned, and set down on the wooden floor, pulling a large box toward her to go through. "Carl." She sighed. "You know, I haven't had the chance to really get to know the kid yet. I need to make more of an effort."

"It's not like you've had a lot of time." He said, his voice muffled as he bent over and pawed through a large chest filled with papers and clothing. "He likes you, though. I wouldn't worry. It will be easier now that we're settling in and not on the road all the time."

"A HA!" Ruby burst out laughing, startling Paul. He looked over at her like she was crazy, but she just held up a few shirts triumphantly. "They _didn't _burn our stuff! This is Beth's."

He grinned, nodding. "That should make the girls happy."

"Not that it much matters now, though. There's so much here, we could probably wear something new every day and not run out for weeks." She said, repacking the things she had found in the bag and sitting it aside. "Still, there's something to be said for having your own stuff."

"Hey, you want any of this stuff?" He pulled out a large ziploc baggie filled with lotions, moisturizers, even a little lipstick and things. It was fluff, not anything they really needed, and it made her want it even more. God, when was the last time she put on makeup? To think what Rick would look like if he saw her all dolled up... Shiver... it was enough to make her tingle all over.

"Yes, please." She said, trying to steady her voice. Thinking about Rick like that was making her all hot and bothered again. "Hey, come here. See if these clothes will fit you."

He came over, and held up the shirts and pants she held out. There wasn't much guys' stuff, surprisingly. Guess it was harder for guys to be 'indecent', she thought sardonically.

"Yeah, this is good." He said, choosing some things. "And these will be fine for Rick and Daryl. Glenn's a little smaller."

"I found a couple shirts for him. Let's just take all this, huh? We can come back and get more later." She stood, brushing herself off.

He started tossing bags to the floor below, and they carried everything back to the house. The next hour was spent sorting and handing things out, and Carol volunteered to wash the things that needed it. Ruby had noticed her looking longingly at the washing machine tucked away off of the kitchen, she suspected Carol would take any excuse to use it. So funny how such a menial task took on the state of luxury when you'd spent the last several months scrubbing your clothes on a rock in a stream.

When they were done, Paul went to spend some time with Beth, and Ruby saw Maggie come in with Glenn. Beth had been so happy to see her clothes out of the loft that Ruby could absolutely not wait to tell Maggie. And the camisole that had attracted such attention from Paul? Ruby had taken Beth off to the side and slipped it to her with a wink, and a gesture toward her large friend, and Beth had blushed a deep red but taken it happily.

"Mags!" She called out, and the pretty brunette looked over to her from the staircase she and Glenn were climbing. "Come in here for a sec."

"What's up?" She came into the living room and looked down at the pile of stuff Ruby was going through.

"I thought you might like your clothes back." Ruby said wickedly and Maggie looked confused, till she saw a very familiar looking blue shirt in Ruby's hand.

Eyes widening, she looked from the garment to Ruby. "Are those...?"

"Yup. Yours. They didn't get burned at all, Margie lied."

Maggie's mouth dropped open, and she swept down on Ruby with a fierce hug, Ruby laughing loudly the whole time. "Where did you find them?" She asked, looking through the bag that Ruby held out quickly.

"The loft that Jimmy was talking about at dinner. You should see it. There was so much stuff! Pick out more you want, here, there's plenty!"

Maggie dropped to her knees and started going through them, oohing and ahhing when she found something she liked. When she pulled out a long, soft nightgown wih a low neckline, she actually squealed. "This is fabulous!"

"I'm glad you're happy." Ruby sat back and watched her friend. "Something tells me Glenn is gonna be even happier."

When Maggie spotted the makeup, she looked to Ruby excitedly. "Let's get dressed up for dinner."

"Ok." Ruby nodded, just as excited. She couldn't wait to see Rick, Paul and Glenn's faces when they showed up all pretty. "I'll meet you before dinner."

"Ok!" Maggie squealed again and dashed off upstairs, her treasures clutched tightly in her hands. Ruby laughed, and began folding the clothes Carol hadn't needed to wash. Walking upstairs, she went into Daryl's room and put some on his bed. Paul had taken his, so she went to her room next to put the things she had found for Rick away too.

It was then she realized she hadn't found anything for Carl, and she sighed. "Way to go, Ruby." She muttered to herself. "Forget his son. You're awesome." She left the house again and returned to the barn. She was going through more bags, and had found several things that would fit Carl, when she heard the barn door open and slid back closed, and footsteps across the floor below.

"You son of a bitch." She heard the voice, Jimmy's, and frowned. Peering over the railing, she saw him standing there in the middle of the floor, looking at the pile of bodies stacked against the wall. Suddenly uncertain, she stayed quiet. It was clear he didn't know she was there.

"Man, you were all about "God", weren't ya? See where that got you?" Jimmy was angry, and Ruby wondered what had brought this on. She guessed it was natural, Bob had just died, and he hadn't exactly gotten the chance to deal with it yet. Twisted or not, these people were his family, and he did grow up with them.

Jimmy was pacing back and forth in front of the corpses, his expression angry and intense. Ruby felt awkward there, but didn't know if she should stop him. He continued, and his voice grew a little darker.

"The world ended, Bob, and you and Margie just kept on goin'. Doin' the same shit you did before. Drag people into your fucked up thinking, twist 'em all around till they thought _you_ were God. The shit you did to Rebeccah, that girl's never gonna be right if you were around. Rick and his people did good by you, Bob."

At that Jimmy seemed a little defeated. His shoulders slumped, his bad arm still tucked close to his body in a makeshift sling. He went to the stairs going to the loft and sat down hard, sighing deeply.

"And what you wanted to to do Ruby, Maggie and Beth. You don't even know what those girls are, man. They're amazing, and you were just gonna..." He trailed off, and Ruby felt her heart thump in her chest. What was Bob wanting to do to them? What had they avoided? She backed up, her breath now coming a little faster, and her foot knocked against a trunk with a thump. She heard Jimmy jump downstairs and closed her eyes in anxious disappointment when she heard him walk up quickly. Opening one eye, she gave him the sorriest look she could muster, and he stopped at the top of the stairs, leaning against the railing.

They didn't speak for a moment, he just looked at her with regret, and the tiniest hint of worry.

"I am so sorry, Jimmy. I really didn't mean to pry." She said, frowning.

"I didn't realize I wasn't alone." He said, taking a deep breath. "I guess I have some explaining to do, don't I?"

"No. You need to get it out, I should have said something but you were so focused I didn't want to bother you." She shook her head rapidly, her hand out in apology.

He shook his head, turned, and went down the stairs halfway before stopping and sitting down. Leaning forward, he put his elbows on his knees, fingers laced in front of him, and stared out into nothing. Ruby bit her lip thoughtfully, but after a moment, she stepped quietly down the stairs and took a seat next to him. He didn't look at her, so she just gave him a sympathetic look and sighed.

"You wanna talk about it?" She asked quietly, and he didn't say anything for a few minutes.

"You sure you wanna hear? I don't want you to think... well, that I'm anything like them. I'm not. I mean, I wasn't." His eyes didn't meet hers, he was clearly distressed at the thought.

"I think you've more than proven that already. And I can keep a secret. I don't want to push, though. I can leave, and you can do whatever you like." She gave him an encouraging smile, and he finally looked over at her. His big green eyes were filled with anxiety and pain, and she felt terrible for him.

"Bob wasn't the easy goin' guy he tried to come off as. I mean, Margie was the hard ass, you know? But Bob, he had issues, man. He didn't think we saw, but he looked at girls. The ones in town, in church, and especially the ones who came here. They were always takin' 'em in, saying they were 'teachin' 'em the way'. But all Bob wanted to do was teach 'em the way right into his bedroom."

"Oh my god." Ruby whispered, suddenly very nauseated.

"Honesty and Carlene lived here for months before all this happened. And Ruth, you don't even know. She lived down the way a bit, her family had a farm. The boy of hers, there was always talk..."

"You mean Bob was his father? Did Margie know about all that?" Ruby asked, wondering if it would bother him for her to ask questions. It didn't seem to, however, because he just kept going.

"She had to, but we never talked about it. And if I brought it up, he would have belted me like nobody's business." He shook his head. "Anyway, that's bad and all, but once all this happened and we started taking in people Bob looked at it like his chance to start a new community. The way he wanted it to be, you know?"

She nodded. "Like a cult?"

He laughed bitterly. "Yeah, the cult of Bob."

She smiled, picking nervously at her cuticles as she listened. "They had this idea that they could decide how people were gonna live by scarin' them with this God stuff. I don't know if they even believed it, but they used it to control people. Hell, they told Amelia and Jonathan to get married. They were looking for girls for me and Mark and the rest. When you guys came along, it was like Christmas. Bob came home that night he found Daryl and Glenn at the lake and said, "They got women, I know they do. We just gotta get 'em here."

Ruby swallowed hard. This was almost too much to take. What had Bob been willing to do to get what he wanted? By wanting to come here, she realized at that moment that she had probably almost committed Rick and the other men to death, if that was what Bob wanted. She stood up, feeling very claustrophobic all of a sudden, and walked down to the bottom floor, crossing her arms over her chest. Jimmy looked alarmed, and stood up.

"Hey, I'm sorry. Please forget all that, I shouldn't have said anything."

She shook her head quickly. "No, it's ok. I asked you about it, and you needed to get it out. It's just, the thought that somebody could try to separate us. It's scary, that's all."

"Well, that's why I did what I did. I saw you all together, and I just couldn't do it." He sat back down, and rubbed his head with his palm.

"I guess, what I wonder is, what was it about us that made you turn all those things you learned around? I mean, I don't think you ever thought it was right, but that is a big difference between thinking it, and doing what you did. You sacrificed your own family to save our lives, and you didn't even know us."

He frowned. "It's different with you guys. The others, they wanted to be led. They walked in here and just handed themselves over. But you guys didn't do that. That first night, I saw Paul leave the dorm. Don't be mad, but I followed him."

She looked at him with wide eyes. "You did?"

"Yeah." He nodded. "I didn't know what he was doing, so I got curious. I saw him go to your window, and I listened while you all talked. The way he came and checked on you, and stayed so long just because it made Beth feel better. I could have listened to that all night. You think I'm some weirdo now?"

She smiled, shaking her head. "I don't."

He smiled sadly back at her. "It's over now though. Ain't it?"

"Yeah, Jimmy. You don't have to worry anymore, about you, or Becca. We take care of our own. And you are, most definitely, one of the family now."

He seemed so pleased with that it made her smile grow wide. "So, what happens now?" He asked.

"Well," She thought. "We protect the farm. Make sure walkers get put down till there's no more left. If that ever happens." She chuckled. "And we stay away from strangers. You don't even know what's out there. Some of the people we've run across are way scarier than anything, maybe even Bob and Margie, but from what you said, it's gonna be hard to believe that."

"And the bodies? What do we do with those?" He threw a distasteful look over to the corpses.

"That's up to you. We could bury them-" She began, but he cut her off.

"Burn 'em." He said flatly, and she nodded.

"You got it. We'll do it right away." She came and leaned against the railing below. "I think we'll keep Becca away though, I doubt she'll understand. You gonna be ok, Jimmy?"

He nodded, mustering up a grin. It made his face seem much less worn and tired, and she hoped it stuck around. "Yeah, I'm good. Thanks for listening."

"Anytime." She said pleasantly. He stood up, walking down the stairs, and to the door. He looked back just before he left, he turned and looked back at her.

"You know, one thing Bob was right about. I'd be lucky to find somebody like you, especially now. You're a really..." He blushed a little, his eyes going to the floor. "You're a great person. All of you are."

Ruby smiled, but felt so sorry for this damaged young man. For someone so young, he'd lived a harder life than most of them, even with the walkers. She went and grabbed the things she'd found for Carl, hurrying now. Her talk with Jimmy had made her want to be with Rick so badly she could taste it.


	30. Kismet

_I don't own anything to do with Rick or any character from the Walking Dead. I own the OC characters, Ruby and Paul, however, and I adore them._

_Summary: Shane's been killed by Rick and the group doesn't trust him anymore. So what does Rick do? Snap. He finds a girl in the woods and takes out his aggression._

_Yes, I know if you've read my other stuff you know that I was a Shane girl, but Rick is awesome, too. So I decided to play with him a little. Rate and comment if you like! Thanks, and please, no flames. They are... unhelpful._

_+++So, the group has a new home now. The challenge here, besides the obvious of course, is to manage to turn the darkness and bad memories of the place around and make it a home. If that's even possible in this world. But I have faith, if anyone can, it's our heroes here that can do it. Don't you agree?_

_Now, cue the lovin! lol_

"Hey Carl." Ruby said brightly when she got back to the house, another bag slung over her shoulder. He was out front of the main house, sitting on the steps and watching Sally and Jeb play together in a little circle in the yard.

"Hey Ruby." Carl said, looking up from the little piece of wood he was whittling with a pocket knife. Ruby looked around, and saw Carol hanging some laundry from a line on the side yard. No wonder the kids were out here, she was keeping an eye on them. Grabbing a spot next to Carl on the steps, Ruby looked over to see what he was carving.

"Where'd you learn to do that?" She asked.

"Dad taught me, long time ago." He said. "See? It's a crow. There's so many of them in the yard, I thought I'd try it out."

"It's good." She nodded, and looked at the two little ones nearby. "Hey, how are they doin? They seem ok?"

He looked at them, thinking for a moment, then nodded and turned his eyes back to her. Damn, he looked so much like his dad, she thought. "Yeah, Sally's pretty shy, though. I think she'll be ok. Jeb said they lived close, and Bob and Margie found them on the highway after they lost their mom."

"Wow." Ruby's eyebrows went up. "Are they brother and sister?"

"Yeah." Carl nodded, going back to his whittling.

"How about you? You doing ok?" She asked, watching him closely.

"Mm-hmm." He said, his eyes not meeting hers. "Gotta be, right? Gotta be strong. For the group."

She shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. But not always, you know? You can be not ok sometimes and it's alright. We're only human."

He didn't say anything to that, and she pushed a frown down deep. Since Lori had died, the playful kid that had been so happy to get the toys at the farmhouse had been replaced by a more jaded, grown up little man. It made her sad, but she knew it was only about survival.

"I found something you might want." She said, reaching for the bag for had brought from the barn. "It's just some clothes, but they aren't worn out. I think they'll fit you."

"Thanks." He said, looking over interestedly at the bag. "I needed them."

She smiled. "And if anything doesn't fit you, maybe they will work for Jeb."

"Did you find anything for Sally? All she has are those long skirts. It can't be comfortable."

"You know what? I think I have a couple things, but I'm going to have to look a little more. You wanna go back to the barn next time I go, give me a hand?" After the bodies were gone, she thought to herself.

"Sure."

"Ok. Well, I'll go put these in your room. You pick one yet?"

"Yeah, I'm sharing with Jeb. Second door on the right on the second floor." He nodded, a smile playing around his serious little face.

"Very cool. Good talking to you, man. You need anything just yell for me, ok?" She stood up, stretching.

"Thanks, Ruby." He watched her go, and she skipped up the stairs to the room he had directed her to, and let herself in. It was a lot like hers. Same wooden floors and blank walls. The prerequisite crosses over the door and the two twin beds, and she sighed. This wouldn't do, not for two little boys. Going to the bureau, she looked in and saw he hadn't put any of his stuff away yet. She quickly filled the empty drawers and closets with the clothes both from her bag and the bags Rick had been carrying around for his son. Once that was done, she removed all the crosses from the walls, and stood there, looking around the room thoughtfully. Her brain ticked away, and with a smile, she swiftly left the room in search of Jimmy.

She found him in the living room, where he was talking to Hershel. "Hey." She said, leaning against the door frame. "I wondered, you guys did fix-its and maintenance around this place pretty often, didn't you?"

He nodded. "Yeah, why? You need somethin' fixed?"

"Nope. But if you had any paint, I wanted to take a look at it."

He grinned. "Oh yeah. I can show you, you mind Hershel?"

"Go on, young man. Just take it easy on that arm." Hershel sat back in his chair, nodding at them, and Jimmy got up, leading her out of the house.

"You're painting?" He asked as they walked.

"It's a surprise, but yeah. Carl and Jeb's room is so plain, I wanted to give them something nice." She looked around as she talked. She didn't see anyone else, and wondered if they were at the front gate. "You know where everyone is?"

"I think they were doing perimeters, last time I checked. Here we go." He led her to a work shed beyond the woman's house and opened the door, standing back so she could go in. He followed her, and the light from the windows was plenty good enough to see when the door swung shut behind them. "Any idea of the color you wanted?"

"Whatcha got?" She asked, looking at some cans on a shelf at eye level. From the smears of old paint on each one, she gathered that they had more than enough variety to do something fun with the boys' room.

"What about this one?" He asked, picking up a can of deep blue.

"Oh yeah," She said happily. "And we can trim it in this white." She chose another can and pulled it off the shelf. He set her up with brushes, trays, and a large tarp to cover the furniture with. When their arms (well, his one good arm) were loaded with their tools, they crossed the yard back to the house as nonchalantly as possible. She didn't want to alert the kids still playing out front.

"Oh, Beth! Good, you busy?" She said, seeing the girl coming down the stairs.

"No. What do you have?" Beth looked curiously at the cans, and Ruby motioned for her to follow. Once they were back in Carl and Jeb's room, she shut the door behind them.

"Will you help me paint this room?" She asked Beth. "I want to get it done before everyone comes in. Jimmy, if you could stay downstairs and keep them away, that would be great."

"You got it. You sure you don't need help, though?" He asked skeptically, and she laughed, her eyebrows raised.

"You heard Hershel. He finds out I put you to work he'll kill me. No, keeping them away would be the best thing you could do."

Jimmy chuckled and shrugged. "Alright, then." By the time he slipped out the door, Beth and Ruby already had cans open, and the tarp was being spread out.

Rick stood back from the task they were working on, and shielded his eyes from the sharply setting sun. They had been out here for hours, but for good reason. Daryl had had a good idea for an early sensor system for the front gate. A series of ropes tied across the gate where it opened, attached to a single long one that ran across stakes in the ground. If something came through the gate it would pull the long rope. That one ran all the way up to the house, and when triggered it would set off a bell to alert them inside. The outer gates were immobile everywhere except here in front, so it would be just one more layer of protection. Combined with a constant watch at night, Rick hoped it would be enough to ensure they would be safe. It was difficult with such a large farm, but Bob had helped that out before he died. The two other places on the outlying gate had been sealed shut after the breakout, making this the only entrance.

If they didn't get attacked by a herd like they had on Hershel's farm, the gate itself would be enough to keep the walkers out. Rick was being careful not to be lulled into a feeling of security, however. Even if the walkers were fewer now- Daryl had been able to peg the ones that drifted by, attracted to the noise or chance off with his arrows while they worked- the possibility of more was always there. He had decided to implement a more steady schedule of watches as well, and he was running through it in his mind as they worked so he could tell the others about it at dinner. Dinner. He was starving. This alert system meant they all would be able to go in and eat together.

"You guys ready? We just need to secure the bell at the house, and I think we're good here." He said, chewing his lip thoughtfully. Paul, Maggie, Glenn and Daryl nodded, following him back to the house. "After dinner, I'll take watch tonight. Let you guys get some sleep. Thanks for doing it the last couple nights. "

"Not a problem." Glenn said, yawning widely. Maggie grinned at him and took his hand as they walked.

"I hope Carol has food ready." Paul was saying as they neared the house. The lights were on, and no one was outside. Hm, that's different, Rick thought. He wondered where Ruby has run off to. Carl was probably with Carol and the kids in the kitchen, but Rick kept his eyes peeled as they entered the house.

"Hey bud." Rick grinned when he saw his son in the living room. He was fiddling with his pocket knife as he sat in a chair across from Jimmy and Hershel. "You seen Ruby?"

"She's hanging out with Beth." Jimmy offered, and Rick got the strangest feeling from the way the guy said that. Of course, Rick had been gone with the others most of the afternoon and Jimmy had been here. That he would know where she was wasn't unusual, so Rick pushed the feeling away and went to wash his hands in the kitchen. He was drying his hands when he saw Ruby in the doorway with Beth smiling at everyone brightly.

"Oh good! You guys are back." She said happily, and he tilted his head at her.

"What are you grinnin' about?" He furrowed his brow curiously. She had a streak of blue paint on her cheek and it also dabbled the old teeshirt and sweatpants she and Beth both wore.

"It's a surprise. Come on." She said excitedly, and looked back at Carl. "Carl, will you come upstairs for a minute? Bring Jeb."

"Yeah." Carl nodded, and she darted to the stairs, waiting for everyone to follow. Of course, the whole house had congregated, and they were naturally curious, so they all tromped up the stairs after her and Beth. Carl and Jeb got to them first, and the girls stopped in front of the boys' room.

"Ok, you ready?" She asked, smiling and eyes wide. Throwing open the door, the boys went in.

"Oh wow!" Jeb exclaimed, and Rick walked in after the boys. Putting his hands on his hips, he looked around the room in astonishment. The previously drab and plain room had been painted a beautiful deep blue color, and the doors and windows were trimmed a bright white. On opposing walls were beautifully done swirls of white in abstract shapes, and the beds were now made in colorful quilts and fluffy pillows from one of the adult rooms. The bookshelves were stocked with a couple dozen books and comics, and toys for Jeb were neatly lined across the floor near the child's bed. On the window were bright white curtains fashioned from a sheet and tied creatively to look as good as any store bought ones.

Finally, above Carl's bed was a verse written in beautiful script, painted right into the wall. It read "_You've got every right to a beautiful life..."_ When Rick read that, he felt tears spring into his eyes, and his breath catch in his throat. Carl clearly felt the same way, because when he looked back at them, his eyes, too, were damp.

Jeb ran to the toys, and Carl looked around in wonder. "This is great." He breathed out slowly, and Ruby's smile grew even bigger.

"Beth and I kept you away for a while, hope this was worth it."

He grinned, and nodded. "Definitely. Where'd you get the books and stuff?"

"Found them all over the place. The attic, the other rooms, you name it. And you both have a whole bunch of new clothes in the closet and the drawers here. Carl, these are yours, and these are for Jeb." She pointed to according drawers, and he looked through the appreciatively.

She went to a small one by one table on Carl's side of the room and opened the lid. Everyone looked over and saw it was a record player, old but functional. "Carl, you know how to use one of these? I found it in the barn, along with a huge box of records."

"No, I never used one." He said, walking over to look at it with her.

"It's not hard. Just have to be careful of the needle, see?" She reached down to the box tucked under the stand, and pulled out a large vinyl record. Putting it on the turn table, she showed him how to lay the needle gently down on the record, and a moment later the room was filled with the soft, low sounds of The Beatles. "Now, I know the music is old, but it's classic, man. You're gonna love it. You got Zep here, the Ramones! I think I'm gonna be spending a lot of time here listening to it with you, if you don't care."

He chuckled at that, and she stepped back while he started going through the records, back to Rick's side to watch the boys.

"I can't believe this is the same room." Rick said, shaking his head in wonder. "You guys did an amazing job."

"I love it!" Jeb said happily from his spot on the floor.

"So do I. Thanks Ruby." Carl said with an unusually wide smile. He went over and hugged her tightly before going to Beth and doing the same.

"I'm glad you like it, man." She said, squeezing his shoulder.

"You guys come eat and you can spend the rest of the night in here if you want." Carol said, smiling from the door. She loved the room too, everyone did, and she grinned at Ruby proudly.

"Can I stay too?" Sally asked as Carol led the kids back down for dinner, and Ruby chuckled. The others took one last look and began to filter away till it was just Rick and Ruby left.

He wrapped her tightly in his arms. "I can't believe you did this for Carl. I can't imagine anything cooler. The Ramones? You kiddin' me? Those records must be worth a fortune!"

She kissed him and smiled. "He really likes it doesn't he?" She was still so excited it made him laugh.

"My god, he's not gonna come out for a year."

"Not true. He has to eat sometime, and this room doesn't have a bathroom." She joked, and he rubbed her cheek with his thumb as he held her close. "And guess what? I found pink paint to do up Sally's room, too. And more blue for ours, but lighter. What do you think?"

He didn't say anything, just looked at her with the most adorable expression. She laughed and tilted her head. "I said, what do you think?"

"It's not what I think. It's what I know." He finally said, his face suddenly intense and serious and she looked at him curiously. "I love you so much."

A breath escaped her chest and she raised her eyebrows in surprise. "Oh, Rick."

"I do. I think I always have. How did I find you in this messed up world, Ruby? I really want to know how I got so damn lucky."

"You kidnapped me." She smirked, running her fingertips through his hair lightly.

"Best... kidnapping... _ever_." He said, and when she laughed, he cut it off firmly with his mouth on hers.

When they broke, she looked up at him through her dark lashes. "I love you, too, Rick. More than you know."

Ruby and Beth has been so busy they hadn't had a chance to get dressed up for dinner like Maggie had requested, but that hadn't stopped Maggie. She sat next to Glen at the table in a beautiful short black dress, her hair wavy around her face and a bit of blush and lipstick. The girl didn't need it, she was naturally gorgeous by anyone's standards, but she absolutely glowed and Glenn couldn't take his eyes off her.

Still, if anyone had asked Rick his opinion, he would have said Ruby was the most stunning creature on the planet, sitting there next to him in a ponytail and paint smudged clothes. Her cheek still carried the remains of the paint she had tried to scrape off, and she was grinning widely, laughing at something Paul had said from down the table. What she had done for Carl wasn't something he needed to survive. It wasn't something that would save his life, at least physically. Instead, it was something that the boy needed while Rick managed to save his heart. That sweet innocence that had already been so deeply damaged and torn apart. It was a chance to say, 'you're allowed to be happy', to live your life despite the troubles outside. Rick thought about that quote over Carl's bed. _"You've got every right to a beautiful life" _and he sighed. It was true. Carl had more than every right, but so did Ruby, and Rick wondered if she knew that.

He'd told her he loved her, and she'd said it back. Something he didn't think he'd every hear or say again for a long time now. Not just since Lori had died. Sitting there, surrounded by his family, his lifebloods, he felt complete. He was happy. To hell with the dead rising, with the end of the world. Despite all that, he'd managed to find a woman he was supposed to find all along, and they were together. His son was alive and the sound of his laughter cut through Rick's thoughts, bringing him momentarily back to reality, and Rick grinned at him.

The world had tried to end _him_, and he'd survived. He'd done better than that- he found joy again.

He'd found LOVE. And at that moment, Rick realized he wouldn't have changed anything. They'd won.

_-Flashback-_

_August, 2009_

_Kings County, GA_

_Backroads outside of town, 2:00 am_

_ Rick Grimes wiped his face tiredly as he drove his patrol car down the dark country road. A raccoon scuttled off the pavement, catching his eye, and he pointed to it._

_ "That was a big one." He said, and his partner, Shane Walsh, peered through the darkness as they passed._

_ "Easy 15 pounder. What are people feedin' these freakin' things?" He asked lightly, and Rick chuckled. He raised an eyebrow at his tall, dark haired best friend. They'd been best friends their whole lives, and with the police they made natural partners._

_ "Maybe it's the one been raidin' Betsy Mark's trash. She's called three times in the last month, saying it's all torn apart."_

_ "A 'course Betsy called us about a raccoon." Shane smirked. "Woman will call about anything."_

_ Rick stifled a yawn. "So, Vicky called you, huh? I saw you talkin' when I went into the gas station back there."_

_ "How'd you know it was Vicky?" Shane looked at him curiously, one of his thick dark brows going sky high in the typical Shane way it did._

_ "Because she's the only one who can make you look horny and depressed all at the same time." Rick responded, and Shane's loud laughter filled the car._

_ "Aw, man. I don't know. She's wantin' to move stuff back into my house. After I just got Sarah's stuff out, finally. I'm just tryin' to figure out a way to tell her no so I can still call after my shifts are over." Shane said devilishly, and Rick grinned, shaking his head. _

_ "If she's pushin' it, why don't you just call somebody else? I know you got choices, man?"_

_ Shane scoffed. "You obviously have not seen that ass, brother. Bounce a quarter off that thing."_

_ "Oh, I've seen it. Everybody's seen it. She don't try to hide it, you know." Rick said flatly._

_ "I know." Shane said with a grin, and a little wiggle of the head suggestively._

_ "My god." Rick cracked up. He was grateful to have Shane that night. Having not slept much the night before he was exhausted, and none of the other deputies kept him awake the way Shane did. Besides, it had given him the chance to vent about the reason he hadn't slept. Yet another fight with Lori, his wife. Stupid and inconsequential, but it had kept both of them up yelling at each other late into the night and sent him to the couch when it was over._

_ He pulled the car to a stop at the stop sign heading back into town, and opened his mouth to say something when a car blew right through the stop sign going the opposite way._

_ "Oh no you don't." Rick murmured, making a quick U turn and flipping on his lights. Shane buckled up quickly as they took off after the car._

_ "Black Audi, License plate..." Shane began to rattle off the details of the car they were following to base and it slowed and stopped in front of them, off to the side of the road._

_ "Single female." Shane finished speaking into the walkie and looked over at Rick. "You got her? I'll start the paperwork."_

_ "You passin' up a chance to go see if she's hot?" Rick asked, joking surprise and Shane narrowed his eyes at him._

_ "You been listenin' to me at all, man? I done told you I'm takin' a break from crazy chicks. And any girl that drives like that is definitely a crazy chick."_

_ Rick laughed and got out of the car, shutting the door behind him. Settling his wide brimmed hat on his head and began the walk to the Audi. When he reached it, he motioned for the girl to lower the tinted windows._

_ He saw her eyes first. Big and dark, long lashes. Damn, Shane missed out, he thought. Crazy or not. She spoke first as the window dropped._

_ "Officer, I am _so_ sorry. I really didn't mean to run that sign." She looked at him apologetically, her full lips curved into a frown. "The tree was in the way, but that's not an excuse."_

_ He didn't play the good/bad cop by any means, and she hadn't killed anyone, so he just nodded. "I have to say if you'd have been goin' a few miles slower you might have seen it, miss." He said, requesting her license and insurance information._

_ "I know. I really am sorry. I'm usually a lot more careful." She handed her things through to him and sat back in her seat, defeated. A long fingered hand brushed her hair back tiredly, and he noticed she had been crying. A while ago, maybe, but the tell tale tracks of tears fell across her face. As a cop, he'd had women cry on him to get out of tickets all the time, and this girl definitely was not doing that. In fact, if anything she was trying to cover it up, keeping her head low, hands flicking about her face and hair._

_ "Is there any reason you're out here at such a late hour, Miss..." He looked at her license. "Redman?"_

_ "Ruby. I'm on my way to get my dad. He just flew into your air field and I'm meeting him and taking him back to Atlanta." Her voice was even, soft._

_ He nodded, frowning. What had put this girl out on a lonely road in the middle of the night after she'd obviously been upset? He didn't think it was to pick up her dad. "Hey, you ok? Tired?"_

_ "Yeah. It that obvious?" She mustered up a smile, and tried to make it as bright as she could._

_ "Well, it is 2 am. Call it deduction." He responded jokingly, and she laughed gently. It was a good sound, he found he liked it._

_ "Got a point."_

_ "Alright, give me a minute while I run you, ok?" He asked, and returned to the patrol car. It was a hot night, sticky, and he looked forward to getting back in the air conditioning. _

_ "What's the deal?" Shane asked as he got back in._

_ "Says she's picking up her dad. Just got tired, I guess." Rick said, leaving it at that. If he'd have told Shane that there was a beautiful and upset girl in that car, his friend would have been at her window in an instant, offering her a kind word or a shoulder. He knew the hound dog Shane was, and he loved it most of the time. It was funny as hell. But he wanted to spare the girl, Ruby, that. Looked like she'd seen enough for the evening already._

_ Rick tapped her info in the computer and saw she had no priors. "I'm lettin' her go." He said, and Shane nodded as he got back out of the car. When he got back to Ruby, he handed her cards through the window, and leaned against her door, his arm on the top and his head dipped low so he could see her properly._

_ "I don't see any reason to ticket you, Ruby." He said, and she looked at him, surprised but grateful. "Please take it a little slower, huh? And next time your Dad flies in, tell him to either go to Atlanta or take cab, ok? Out here at night, it's not the safest thing in the world for a girl alone. Especially if she's... tired."_

_ She looked at him with wide eyes, knowing that he wasn't fooled at all. He knew she'd been crying. Smiling faintly, she looked at the dark road ahead for a moment. "You know," She said softly. "It's funny how one person you trusted completely can ruin your whole night, and then somebody you don't even know comes along and makes you feel a little bit better."_

_ He grinned at that, and she returned it. This time, it wasn't tinged with the sadness like before. He tipped his hat to her. "My pleasure." He stuck his hand out, and surprised himself. He never did this, but it felt right. "And, it's Rick."_

_ She took his hand, and he felt how warm her fingers were beneath his cool ones. "Rick." She repeated, still smiling._

_ "Well," He let go and stood up. "Get on now, Ruby. Just be safe."_

_ "You too, Rick."_

_ He watched her pull away, then walked slowly back to the patrol car. Shane grinned when he got in. "No ticket, and a handshake. Man, I shoulda gone up there. She must have been somethin'."_

_ Looking over at his friend, he shrugged. "Don't know. Guess I'll never find out." Rick turned the car around and headed back toward the station. _

_ It was time to go home._

** The End**

Authors Note:

Hey guys, thanks for finishing the story! I truly hoped you loved it as much as I loved writing it! Thank you to the several of you who, with dedication, sent me reviews so often. It was because of you that I am pleased to announce that the sequel to this story is going to be out very soon.

In case any of you had a question about this last part, I wanted to clear it up, leave no room for speculation. The flashback here at the end actually happened to Rick and Ruby, but neither remember it. It's just one of those little things that happen to us in our daily lives and we forget about, but imagine if Rick DID remember that he'd met Ruby one random night years before? It's fate that they would end up together, kismet, whatever you want to call it, it's just plain cool.

Sincerely,

LL


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